Everything Works If You Let It
by Ultrawoman
Summary: Jackie and Hyde pretty much hated each other from the get go, and yet he still agreed to take her to Prom. Kelso was unable to win Jackie back that night, and everything changed between the rich cheerleader and the Zen Master. S1 rewritten from 'Prom Night' JH
1. Chapter 1

**A/N : Okay, so I'm not sure yet if this one is going to work out, but I so love writing for this fandom that I have to go with the flow and just hope that it does. Here's another story for all you J/H fans out there, and we're going right back to Season 1...**

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**Title : Everything Works If You Let It**

**Rating : PG-13**

**Summary : Jackie Burkhart and Steven Hyde pretty much hated each other from the get go, and yet he still agreed to take her to the Junior Prom. Despite his best attempts, Kelso was unable to win Jackie back that night, and everything changed between the rich bitch and the Zen master. Re-writing Season One from 'Prom Night' onwards. JH.**

**_Disclaimer : All recognisable characters from 'That 70's Show' do not belong to me in any way at all._ **

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Chapter 1

"Jackie, man, that's like the third time you stepped on my toes in the past two minutes" Hyde complained, as the girl in lilac quickly apologised and moved her feet, "Geez, I thought I was the one who didn't know how to dance so well"

"I'm sorry" Jackie apologised, "But it's not my fault, it's stupid Michael's fault! He keeps on staring at me, and I can't concentrate"

"Yeah, he's glaring at me too" Hyde noted as he glanced at Kelso, who looked back at him with what passed for the evil eye where he was concerned. He then stared forlornly at Jackie's back, looking like someone just kicked his puppy, completely ignoring his slutty date, Pam Macey.

"Y'know, Jackie, he's probably just jealous that you came to the Prom with some other guy" he told his date, who frowned.

"You're not just 'some other guy', Steven" she told him, "And I really am grateful that you agreed to be my date tonight, I know you hate this kind of thing"

"It's been pointed out to me that I pretty much hate everything" Hyde smirked, "Besides, y'know, this isn't so bad" he shrugged, "At least I have the prettiest date here" he said without thinking, and Jackie blushed at the unexpected compliment.

It bothered Hyde somewhat that he'd said that out-loud. It was true, he knew that much, Jackie really did look prettier than every other girl in the streamer-filled gym, but for him to come out and tell her like that, it just wasn't like him. Prom did weird things to people, he was sure of it. Still, he couldn't blame the event entirely for the fact he and Jackie were actually having a passably good time here tonight.

When he'd told her that they pretty much always hated each other, she'd agreed with him, and she'd been right too. They both knew their opinions of each other, it had been obvious from Day One, but then, perhaps now they were getting to know each other better they were finding their instant opinions had been unfair.

Hyde saw Jackie Burkhart as the stereotypical shallow cheerleader, who had little to worry about except if her nail polish matched her outfit, and nothing to do except her hair. At the same time, Jackie saw Steven Hyde as just another lazy bum with far too many opinions that he couldn't or wouldn't keep to himself.

Now they'd spent a little time alone together, actually attempting to get along and have fun, they found they didn't mind the others company half so much as usual. Hyde had always thought Jackie was totally hot, and would've congratulated Kelso on such a girlfriend, had she not always been so bossy and abrasive. Similarly, Jackie had noticed that whilst he might not be conventionally attractive, Steven was far from the ugliest guy she'd ever seen, and the way he acted did at least give him an air of maturity, especially when compared to Michael who was such a baby about everything. It was shocking when she thought of the secret he'd once told her, about being kept back in first grade. He was a whole year older than his friends and yet mentally he could easily pass for twelve years old!

"He's still staring, isn't he?" Jackie complained as she felt her ex boyfriends eyes burning a hole in her back.

"Yeah" Hyde confirmed with a nod, "I think this is really pissing him off, y'know me being here with you"

"Why?" Jackie asked, "I mean, it's not like we're still together. He chose to be with Pam Macey and so I let him go be with her"

"You really think Kelso's brain works logically like that?" Hyde chuckled, "All he sees is you dumped him and now you're here with me" he told her, "The whole thing with Pam and all, he doesn't see that what he did was wrong"

"Well, it was" Jackie snapped, "and I am done being messed around by stupid boys like Michael Kelso" she said, practically stamping her feet in frustration.

Hyde made sure to keep his feet well away from hers, knowing as he did that when she stopped concentrating on her feet she would just end up injuring his toes again!

"Y'know what, Jackie" he told her with a smile, "I used to think you were kind of annoying and stupid" he admitted, as her eyes went wide, "But you're alright, man. You have a spine, at least, enough to dump Kelso when he messed you around. I respect that" he told her, as a smile she couldn't help lit up her face suddenly.

"Thank you, Steven" she said sincerely, going up on her toes to kiss his cheek, just like she had earlier when he gave her the corsage that now sat on her wrist.

Despite having told her earlier that they shouldn't do stuff like that, it didn't prevent Hyde from letting her kiss him, or starting to wonder what it might be like to kiss her for real. After all, she was the hottest girl here as he'd already admitted, and despite the attraction he thought he'd once felt to Donna, she couldn't be further from his mind right now. He knew as well as anybody that the red-head really belonged with Eric, but it was starting to seem that Jackie and Kelso were not quite as destined as they'd once seemed.

"What?" Jackie asked, as Hyde continued to stare at her strangely.

"Nothing" he said suddenly, shaking his head, and looking away, wondering how he had gotten into such deep thought about kissing Jackie.

Okay so he didn't so much hate her anymore, but he should not be thinking about kissing her. Man, that was weird, he thought, as he blamed some possibly spiked punch for making him think such things. The only problem with that theory being that he hadn't actually had any punch yet…

"I wish Michael would quit it!" Jackie suddenly complained as Steven turned her around and she spotted her ex still watching her, now making a big deal of touching Pam, as if to make Jackie jealous that it wasn't her in his arms. In reality all he was doing was bugging the hell out of her, strangely she didn't feel green with envy at all.

"Y'know if he's going to keep staring like that, we should maybe give him something to stare at" Hyde considered, as he grew increasingly annoyed at the way his friend was throwing evil looks their way.

It was pathetic and childish, trying to make Jackie feel jealous, and himself feel guilty. Kelso was the one that had screwed up here, not either of them,

"Give him something to stare at, how?" Jackie asked, as Hyde turned her around once again before pulling her very close.

"Like this" he said, and Jackie was sure he was going to kiss her, despite the fact the very idea of it was crazy.

She anticipated a perfect moment, the thought of which, far from disgusting her actually excited her, and yet it never came.

Hyde was never going to kiss her, she realised, as she opened her eyes that had fallen shut of their own accord. He'd surprised them all a few months ago when they went to the disco and he proved he could dance even better than the other guys, now Jackie was shocked all over again as he executed those moves so well-practised, displaying her to the room like a beautiful flower, just as Fez had done that night.

Kelso never could dance with her properly, and Jackie loved to dance. It seemed Hyde knew how to move, and she was as happy as ever in his arms as he spun her round the room, catching the attention of more than just Kelso by now. They were centre of attention, a place Jackie loved to be, and yet she was surprised that Steven would want this, all eyes on him. He seemed to always want to hide away, his name suiting him perfectly of course. It was as she met his eyes, that were for one night only not hidden by his usual tinted glasses, that she realised he probably didn't like the attention, anymore than he liked the suit he was wearing, or the fact he'd conformed to societies rules and attended a school dance. He hated all of it, and yet he was here, doing all this, for her.

Hyde himself wasn't quite sure what had come over him. When he'd said they should give Kelso something to stare at he'd had various ideas of what that something might be. At least half of them would've got him a slap round the face from Jackie he was sure, but this one, dancing with her in a way that Kelso never could and that would drive him crazy, this actually seemed to be the best idea of all.

The one small problem was, neither he nor Jackie actually cared enough by now to look around for Kelso and see if he was watching them. They only had eyes for each other, which was odd for two people that before tonight barely liked each other, such was the magic that a Prom could perform.

As the song ended, and a few couples around the room applauded the show Jackie and Hyde and put on, they both seemed suddenly aware of their surroundings and entirely embarrassed.

"Okay" he said, looking cautiously around them, "Really never thought the Disco Fever would get me"

Jackie laughed lightly at that as they moved from the centre of the floor and away from the other dancers, headed for the buffet table.

"You are a really great dancer, Steven" she complimented him, "Maybe not quite as good as Fez, or me, but still really great" she smiled, meaning for that to be a compliment, even if it was a little shaky on the dismount.

Hyde was about to say something when a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder jerking him backward and sending the glass of punch he'd been about to hand to Jackie flying in the air, the contents soaking the front of her dress in bright red liquid.

"Michael, you idiot!" she wailed, as Pam Macey arrived on the scene, suppressing a giggle at the sight of Kelso's ex covered in the sticky drink.

"Oh Jackie, you spoilt your pretty dress" she gasped with fake concern, "Never mind, now you look messy enough to match your date!" she said nastily as Hyde shrugged Kelso's hand off his shoulder and turned on him angrily.

"What the hell are you doing, man?" he wanted to know.

"No, what the hell are you doing, man?!" Kelso yelled back at him, "You brought Jackie to the Prom and totally dogged me!"

"Okay, one, you guys are broken up" Hyde counted on his fingers, "Two, you already said you were going with Pam Macey before me and Jackie decided to go together, and three, she cried man!" Hyde pointed out,.

"And now she's crying again, like a big baby" Pam pointed out with am amused smile, and both Hyde and Kelso turned to see Jackie running through crowds of dancing teens, evidently very upset and embarrassed.

"I should go after her" her ex declared, moving to do just that. Hyde's arm across his chest stopped him from going anywhere.

"No way, man" he said firmly, going after Jackie himself, "You did enough damage already"

"Oh yeah?" Kelso called after him, "Well... you suck, Hyde!" was he best insult he could come up with, which he yelled at his supposed friend.

Hyde pretty much ignored him, knowing Kelso wouldn't be sorry about Jackie or mad at him after a couple of minutes alone with Pam. She had ways and means of making guys forget what day of the week it was, at least that's what he'd read on the bathroom wall.

Right now, Hyde was too concerned with Jackie to be thinking too much about Kelso or his date. Despite the new side he'd seen to her lately, Hyde knew Jackie was still crazy about her clothes and her looks. If her dress were ruined, and it probably was, she was bound to be upset, not just over the stains on there clothes but also from the embarrassment of such a thing happening to her here.

"Hey, Jackie" Hyde called, as he tapped on the door of the nearest girls bathroom.

It was the obvious place she would've run to. Since Donna wasn't here to play best girly friend, first course of action would be find a place with water to clean herself up, and privacy to cry in.

Unfortunately she didn't seem eager to answer him, and all he got was weird looks and giggles from the girls who did emerge. After a while he'd seen more than a dozen girls traipse in and out of the bathroom and he was growing bored of this. Checking that nobody was watching he pushed on the door and let himself inside.

"Steven!" Jackie gasped, "You can't be in the girls bathroom!" she told him, eyes wide with shock that he would do this, but then really she shouldn't have expected any less.

"Huh" he said, unphased as he glanced around, "So this is what it looks like it here. It's... pink" he said with a certain amount of distaste, before his focus returned to Jackie, "You okay?"

"No" she complained, "Stupid Michael ruined my dress, and stupid Pam Macey... well, I'd just like to... kick her ass!" she said, sounding much angrier and more violent than she ever usually did, and Hyde liked it.

"Y'know, for an ass-kicking girl, you did a good run-away just then" he pointed out as he stood behind her, the both of them looking at each other in the mirror above the sinks.

"I know" Jackie sighed, "I just... I wanted tonight to be all perfect and it's not" she said, her voice cracking as tears formed in her eyes once again.

If there was one thing Hyde didn't handle well it was crying women. He was Zen and pretty much detached most of the time, but damsels in distress, he just couldn't ignore.

"Hey, come on, Jackie, don't do that" he said, putting his hands on her shoulders, which was all the invite she needed to turn around and push herself into his embrace.

"I'm sorry, Steven" she apologised as she cried into his chest and he put his arms awkwardly around her tiny frame, "I wish I was stronger like you, but I'm not"

"Hey, man, you are strong" he told her, pulling away a little an making her look at him, "You are stronger than you think you are, Jackie. You just gotta work at it is all. You gotta learn that Kelso is not worth crying over, and neither is some dress that got spilled on, or words from some slut like Pam Macey"

"Thank you, Steven" Jackie sniffed, managing a smile as she gazed up at him, "Y'know at first I was just so desperate to have a date for the Prom, I got you to ask me because there was no-one else, but I'm really glad you were the random guy I picked" she told him, "It's almost like we're really friends"

"Yeah, well, maybe" Hyde nodded, feeling uncomfortable suddenly at having their relationship such as it was labelled as anything, even friendship, "But this does not mean I like you, okay?" he said, unable to prevent a smirk from finding it's way onto his face.

"Oh, of course not" Jackie agreed, a similar expression on her face too.

They both knew how ridiculous it was to continue their facade of hate. They'd made a real connection tonight, and they would be friends at the very least, from now on.

"So, er, you wanna head back out there?" Hyde checked, letting his arms slip away from Jackie's body as he became all to aware of the situation he found himself in.

He had been comforting a crying girl, who he would've said just yesterday that he hated, in the girls bathroom of the High School, on Prom night. It was pretty damn bizarre when he thought about it that way.

"Actually" Jackie considered, glancing towards the door and back, "Do you think maybe we could just go home?" she asked, partly because she felt exhausted, and partly because she realised this Prom really wasn't as cool as she'd dreamt it would be.

"Sure thing, doll" Hyde nodded, glad to be getting out of here too.

They managed to slip out of the bathroom unnoticed, and out of the gym without any of their friends catching them.

Hyde drove Jackie's father's Lincoln back home, and they both got out at his house, though he wasn't sure why she'd bothered.

"Y'know, I'm not exactly used to being walked to my door" he smirked as she followed him as far as the porch.

"Look, Steven" Jackie said, looking more at her own fidgeting hands than at him, "I just wanted to thank you again, for everything you did tonight" she smiled, "You know I meant what I said, you're a real friend"

"You're not so bad yourself" he told her, "In fact you'd be damn cute if once in a while you just shut your pie-hole" he said, though the barb he threw was not meant to injure her at all; something she realised from the look in his eyes just a moment after she'd opened her mouth to retaliate.

"Goodnight, Steven" she smiled eventually, unable to resist the urge to reach up and kiss his cheek one last time.

What followed was not what either intended, but the two of them moved at the same time, both with the same manoeuvre in mind. It just so happened that the pair turned their heads just right that lips met lips in a sweet kiss, that went on much longer than anticipated.

When they parted moments later, both looked a little stunned, though Hyde hid it much better than Jackie could.

"I'll see you around, doll" he said suddenly disappearing into his house, where he woke his mother who had fallen asleep on the couch and a fight broke out, loud enough that Jackie could hear voices.

Still, the girl was hardly aware of anything that was going on around her, only an overwhelming warm and tingly feeling that was passing through her, as her hand went to her lips and her mind replayed over and over those few seconds when Steven Hyde was kissing her.

That was a memory that would stay with her for a very long time, she realised with a smile as she stepped off the porch and headed back to the car to go home.

So things had gone wrong tonight, many things, but Steven had just made it all alright, all perfect. It was one more thing she'd have to thank him for later.

_To Be Continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N : I really meant to update this yesterday and I apologise for the delay but I had a brain-freeze and forgot to do some stuff, and this was one of the things I forgot. I had the chapter all ready and yet, no posting occurred! Sorry everybody! Big thanks for the awesome reviews too, really hope the second chapters impresses you as much as the first one did!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 2

"So even though we didn't, y'know, seal the deal or anything" Eric gestured awkwardly from his place sitting on the back of the couch, "Prom actually turned out to be a pretty cool night, and Donna and I had a really good time" he told his best friend, who seemed to be paying little or no attention.

"That's great, man" Hyde said absently, not really having heard what he said at all, as his eyes stared unseeing at the same image in Mad Magazine that he'd been staring at for the past ten minutes, though neither he nor Eric seemed to realise he hadn't turned the page in so long.

"So I saw you there with Jackie" Eric said, as an involuntary shudder passed through him, "What's that about?"

"Nothin', man, it was just... nothin'" Hyde said quickly, his friends words apparently having jogged him from his non-drug induced haze suddenly, "It's not like I wanted to take her to the damn Prom at all, but she cried, Forman, she actually cried!"

"And we're caring about this why exactly?" Eric was curious to know, more so why Hyde was getting so hot under the collar about the subject.

"I don't dig chicks in tears on me, man" he protested, "It's not cool. Besides I knew Kelso would be royally pissed if I showed up with his ex" he said, smirking because that part was at least true, albeit that he'd thought of that particularly pleasant thought after already agreeing to accompany Jackie to the Prom.

Deep down he wondered if he'd just wanted an excuse to go to the dance he claimed to despise the idea of, or maybe it was just that Jackie was further under his skin than he was really comfortable with. Hyde wasn't sure, and in all honesty he'd rather not contemplate it. He had to get over this weird thing, this almost-attraction to Jackie, because it could only end badly.

"Yeah, something just isn't adding up here" Eric shook his head and wagged his finger simultaneously at his friend who was even now shifting somewhat awkwardly and fighting to keep his expression blank and his Zen-like coolness firmly in place.

"What are you talking about, Forman?" Hyde rolled his eyes behind his tinted glasses, putting down his comic book at last, his arms folding defensively more than defiantly across his chest.

"I just think something weird is going on here" he said staring still, "I mean you hate Jackie, hell, we all hate... Jackie! Hey, what a wonderful surprise!" Eric said unconvincingly as the little brunette appeared from the back door, the shock of her entrance hitting the boy so hard he almost fell over the back of the couch!

Jackie either didn't notice the weird look on Eric's face or didn't care about the tone he used to greet her. She was patently aware that he didn't like her much, not that it bothered her at all. Jackie Burkhart was popular enough she didn't need guys like Eric Forman to think she was cool, although her popularity had waned a little lately, first when she broke up with Michael and then when she showed up at Prom with Steven Hyde, the guy in the chair across from her who had yet to even glance her way.

"Hey, Steven" she smiled, but he barely looked at her as he greeted her in kind.

"I gotta go" he said suddenly getting up from the seat, somewhat shocking Eric since he'd barely managed a reaction from his friend this whole entire time.

Something very weird was happening here.

"Oh, that's perfect" Jackie exploded with a grin, "You can walk me home"

"Er, Jackie, you just got here" Eric pointed out, his brow furrowing at her odd behaviour, not that Jackie was usually anything but odd, but this was different somehow, like there was something he was missing…

"Yes, Eric," she agreed with what he said, "but I only came here to see if… someone could walk me home" she said, looking a little uncertain about what she was saying, almost as if she were making it up on the spot, "It's getting dark out…" she continued as Hyde passed by her to the door and opened it, letting daylight flood in – it was nowhere near time for the sun to be setting.

"Okay then" Eric elongated the words, his tone indicating he now though Jackie was even more crazy than usual.

"Oh for God sake just stop looking at me!" she huffed, before hurrying out of the basement.

Hyde watched her pelt up the steps in front of him and offered Eric no kind of explanation but a shrug of the shoulders, before he let the door go, which slammed shut behind Jackie. Putting on his denim jacket, he changed course and left the basement via the stairs that led to the kitchen.

This was insane, and he knew it, practically running away from a chick, but then everything that had happened, from the moment Jackie asked him to take her to Prom, all of it had been totally insane, and yet so far he'd just let it all happen and not said a word. He shouldn't be keeping it a secret that he kissed her last night, he should be proudly telling Forman how he made his move, how he could've had her if he wanted to. Hell, he could've embellished a little and said he had gone all the way with her, but he didn't.

Hyde considered that he probably never should have kissed Jackie, more than that, he never should've let himself be fast-shuffled into taking her to that damn stupid Prom, but it was something about her, he couldn't help himself.

When she'd got all teary about the dance, he just had to do something to make it better. He couldn't explain why, not to himself or anyone, because he honestly didn't understand it himself, he just couldn't bear to see her cry. Then when Pam had been a bitch at the Prom, and Kelso, the clumsy idiot, had spoilt Jackie's dress, the waterworks had come back on again, and suddenly Hyde was helpless. He had to be there for this girl, help her, and care for her, and he hated that he felt like he had to, but he did.

The safest option right now seemed to be avoidance tactics. Not that Steven Hyde was in any way a coward, he just wasn't in the mood right now to deal with some hyperactive cheerleader who probably thought that they were half way to being married by now just because he took her to a stupid Prom and kissed her once. He'd seen how she behaved with Kelso, and Hyde was damned if he was going to be controlled like his friend had been, no way in Hell.

As he arrived in the kitchen, he could see Jackie hovering around on the driveway waiting for him, and Hyde swiftly passed through the living room and headed off out of the front door, narrowly avoiding Red as he appeared from the den.

"Damn, kids" he muttered, heading for the kitchen, "Using this house like a hostel, and popping up every... argh!" he yelled as he opened the kitchen door only to find a young girl on the other side of it.

"Hey, Mr Forman" Jackie grinned, as Eric's father leaned on the counter, one hand over his heart as it thumped madly in his chest, "I was just looking for Steven. Did you see him?"

"Okay, first of all... er, it's Jackie right?" he checked, fairly certain he remembered her as being the only one amongst Eric's friends that could hold a flashlight correctly.

"Yes, sir" she replied with a nod and a smile.

"Well, Jackie, first of all" Red told her, having recovered from his almost-heart attack by now, "it's good manners not to sneak up on people in their own homes and give them a stroke" he said with a look, "Secondly, Steven isn't here, he left a few minutes ago"

"Oh" was all Jackie said in response, immediately looking as if all the air had gone out of her body, "Y'know I think he's trying to avoid me"

"Now why would he be doing that?" Red asked her with a look, "Didn't Kitty say he took you to his big Prom thing?" he said vaguely, knowing somebody had said something about it but not really paying attention since what these kids got up to really didn't interest him in the least.

"We did go to Prom together" Jackie confirmed as Red picked up his newspaper and took a seat at the table to read it, "but now he doesn't even want to talk to me, and I'm confused, Mr Forman" she said, sitting down on the seat across from him, looking forlorn, "And I don't have anybody to turn to"

Just as Red was starting to panic that he was going to have to deal with this girl and her apparent boyfriend troubles, his wife appeared through the door.

"Ah, Kitty" he smiled at her, "Now I'm sure you'd love to help this young lady with her problems whilst I... go do something real important and... manly" he said, planting a kiss on his wife's cheek and then rushing out of the room, as the two women watched him go.

"Well, he was certainly in a hurry" Kitty said, her trademark laugh sounding out long and loud right after, "Now Jackie, honey, what seems to be the problem? Do I need to be Nurse Kitty, or Mom figure?" she checked, as she looked at the girl.

"Mrs Forman, how do you know if a boy likes you or not, if it's not obvious?" Jackie asked, with a sigh, "I mean, usually I know when boys like me because they tell me, or they buy me gifts, or whatever" she explained, "but Ste-, um, this particular boy" she corrected herself, not willing to commit herself to anything yet, "He's different"

"Well, sweetheart, all boys are different in some way or other" Kitty told her a she moved to sit at the table with her, "And then in some ways all boys are the same. I guess you kinda just have to learn what those ways are as you get older"

"I guess" Jackie agreed, uncertainly, "But... I mean, Mr Forman doesn't seem like the type to be obvious about how he's feeling, so how did you know he liked you?"

"Oh, now see, Red, he used to be really romantic" Kitty smiled as fond memories filled her mind, "He still can be sometimes, but never so much in public. He doesn't like to tell the world what he feels, but somehow he just makes it obvious to me"

"I don't understand how that works" Jackie shook her head, "How do you know what he's thinking or feeling if he doesn't tell you?"

"Jackie, sweetheart" Kitty smiled, putting a hand over hers on the table, "Love doesn't just come out of blue, sure there's that love at first sight thing, but when you're truly in love, you know the other person, you know everything about them" she tried to explain, "You just, you don't have to make big declarations, because you know how the other person feels. You understand, honey?"

"Kind of" Jackie frowned.

She'd always assumed love was simple, but perhaps that was just because her previous boyfriend had been that way. Michael bought her gifts, he liked to hold her and kiss her, and take her out on dates to show her off to the world. That was how she knew he loved her, at least she'd always thought he had. Now here was Steven, and he was so different, to Michael, yet last night at Prom it was like they'd made a real connection. Today he wouldn't even be in the same room as her and as much as she'd like to say she didn't care, she really did.

Jackie wasn't about to say she loved Steven Hyde, that would be ridiculous, but she'd seen a different side of him lately, and last night in particular. He'd told her he'd seen a different side to her too, a side he seemed to like. They'd gotten along so well, and yet now it was almost as if nothing had ever happened, like Prom had been a dream and not real at all.

"Is there anything else you need to talk about, honey?" Kitty checked, "Because I should really be getting to the hospital for my next shift"

"Oh, no, thank you, Mrs Forman, I'm fine" Jackie forced a smile, though honestly she wished she felt easier about things than she really did.

As Kitty got her purse and fixed her nurses' hat on her head, Jackie got up and walked back through the screen-door onto the driveway in a bit of a daze. If she wanted to know what Steven thought of her or felt for her it was clear it wasn't going to be as simple as asking him, but somehow she had to find out. Maybe if what Mrs Forman said was true, she'd just have to spend more time with him, get to know him that much better. All she knew so far was he was a scruffy, opinionated, rock-loving bum, that cleaned up nicely and kissed better than Michael Kelso, if she was being honest. Clearly she needed to know more than that, needed to share some of his interests and opinions if she were able. If she could get to know him that well, she could do what Mrs Forman did with her husband, and know what he thought and felt without ever having to wonder or ask. It was a perfect plan, or so Jackie thought, as she grinned proudly at the thought of it, and headed off to find where Steven might have gone to.

_To Be Continued..._


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N : Thanx so much to all those who continue to read and review this story, and a shout-out to kezztip, an awesome That 70s Show author, who is a total inspiration; check out her latest story 'History Rewritten', it rocks :-)  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 3

"This is so exciting" Jackie grinned, bouncing around in the back of the car between Fez and Hyde.

They were all on their way to the movie theatre to see a sensational new movie that was supposed to be something particularly special.

"Yes, I too am very excited to see the Star Whores" Fez agreed, and Hyde smirked.

"No, Fez, man" he corrected him, "Not Star Whores, it's Star Wars" he explained, causing his foreign friends face to fall.

"Eew" Jackie made a face at him, and scooted closer to Steven, though he didn't say anything about it.

This was the closest they'd been since Prom, a week ago now. It was weird but Jackie really hadn't made that big of a deal about their kiss like he'd expected. Maybe she wasn't as crazed as he thought, though Hyde doubted she could be so sensible as to realise they were not going to live happily ever after just because they had one passably decent evening together. The way she had behaved with Kelso proved she was a true love believer, and her behaviour since Prom made no sense at all in comparison.

Hyde wasn't sure why he was a little disappointed by her lack of attention, and he disliked the fact he felt that way, after all, he could pretty much get any girl he wanted, and he certainly should not want a girl like Jackie Burkhart. She was a cheerleader for crying out loud, and she was shallow, and immature, and…

"How come you're so psyched to see Star Wars, Jackie?" Kelso asked her from the front seat where he was squeezed in beside Donna who of course had to be next to her boyfriend as he drove, "You don't even like space" Kelso reminded his ex, who shifted uncomfortably a moment, before glaring at him.

"Shut up, Michael!" she snapped, "You do not know me anymore. I am a changed woman since I dumped your sorry ass"

That was totally true, as Hyde would happily attest to. She was way different since Kelso had cheated, and she'd told him they were over. Maybe that was why he was seeing her differently now and why she was acting so differently.

"Nice burn" Donna congratulated her friend, glad to know she wasn't going to be running back to Kelso any time soon, or moping over the fact they were over.

Something was different about Jackie, mostly since Prom. At first, Donna had wondered if Jackie would do the rebound thing and start to fixate on Hyde, but it seemed she wouldn't lower her standards, as she might see it, and try to date someone so scruffy and anti-establishment.

"Not that I'm not glad about her absence" Hyde said to Kelso suddenly, "but where is Whore Palace Barbie tonight, man?" he asked, referring of course to Pam Macey.

"Hyde, you can't talk about my girlfriend that way" his friend yelled back, "I love her!"

"No you don't!" Eric laughed, beating all his friends to the same sentence.

"Well, okay, no I don't" Kelso agreed as he considered it, "But she thinks I do, and it's the thought that counts" he said, causing Hyde to roll his eyes and Jackie to do the same.

"I am so much better off without him" she muttered as a new conversation about the wonder of Star Wars started up in the front seat once again.

"Yeah, Kelso's cool but he's not exactly your ideal boyfriend material" Hyde agreed.

"This is true" Fez nodded too, "But Fez would be a wonderful boyfriend, kind and caring and considerate, and willing to be used to satisfy any needs you might have" he told Jackie who looked halfway between scared and disgusted.

"Thank you, Fez, but no" she shook her head, pressing herself further up against Hyde once again.

He wasn't exactly against the idea of being pressed up against Jackie, but this was all a little too weird for him. He was relieved when Eric pulled the Vista Cruiser into the parking lot outside the movie theatre and at last they could all leave the confines of the car behind. He had no idea at this point that Jackie would be making sure she sat next to him to watch the movie too, watching his every move, as she tried to learn more about the man she thought she could be falling for.

* * *

"So, Steven" Jackie smiled as they stood in the front entrance of the movie theatre, sometime later, waiting for Eric, who was in the bathroom, trying to clean soda from his pants, "What was your favourite part of Star Wars?"

"Mine was..." Kelso started only to be interrupted by Jackie who thrust her hand at him in a gesture that demanded silence.

"I didn't ask you, Michael" she said firmly, "I asked Steven"

"Fine!" Kelso shot back at her immaturely as he stormed outside, declaring he would wait with the car.

Hyde watched him go and rolled his eyes at his friends childish behaviour - didn't the idiot realise they were standing inside for a reason? He was going to freeze his nads off out there!

"So Steven..." Jackie prompted him to answer her question and he shoved his hands in his pockets, looking thoughtful.

"I dunno, I guess the whole light sabre thing is cool" he shrugged, "And y'know that Princess Leia is pretty hot" he smirked, causing Fez to nodded rapidly in agreement.

"Yes, I would like to show my light sabre to Princess Leia" he grinned, "If you know what I mean"

"Unfortunately, Fez" Donna made a face as she put her hand on his shoulder, "We _always_ know what you mean"

Jackie opened her mouth to speak then, in an attempt to bring the conversation back to where she wanted it, but much to her annoyance this was the moment that Eric chose to return from the bathroom.

"Hey, Forman" Hyde chuckled, "Did Mommy forget to put your clean diaper on before we left?" he joked, as his friend approached with a rather obvious wet patch on his fawn-coloured pants, around his groin and the top of one leg.

"I'm so sorry, Eric" Donna apologised to her boyfriend, though she was hiding a giggle behind her hand as she did so.

In fairness, the soda spilling incident wasn't entirely her fault, after all she had been startled by the explosion during the movie, that was how she'd come to knock Eric's elbow as he attempted to drink his soda, resulting in most of the contents of the paper cup getting poured out into his lap.

"Fine, whatever" Eric waved away the laughter from his friends and led them outside to the car, "Let's just go home already, I... I have sugary stickiness where it shouldn't be"

"Finally!" Kelso yelled as the others appeared, "It is freezing out here!" he declared, hugging himself against the cold night air.

"Nobody made you stand out here, man" Hyde pointed out as they all bundled into the Vista Cruiser, Kelso still complaining as they drove away from the movie theatre, headed for home.

* * *

There is nothing beyond the glass but deep space, black with shining stars as far as the eye can see.

Han Solo, wearing tinted glasses and a much frizzier hairdo than usual, gazes out at the view and smiles.

"Not a bad rescue, huh?" he says cockily to the young woman beside him, "Y'know sometimes I even amaze myself" he tells her.

"Well, that doesn't sound too hard" Princess Leia, who is decidedly short, bossy, and brunette snaps back at him, "Besides, they let us go. It's the only explanation for the ease of our escape"

"You're such a great girl" he smirks sarcastically, "I don't know if I wanna kill you or if I'm beginning to like you"

"Like I want you to even like me" she huffs in response, folding her arms over her chest, "I'd rather join the dark side than be with you" she says, turning her back on him, "Now, take me home. I have places to be. The intergalactic mall is having a half price sale on light sabres, and I need a pink one to match my new outfit"

He looks at her in astonishment, wondering how she can be so ungrateful after all he's done for her, how she can dare to order him around like this.

"Look, Princess" he says pointedly, "Let's get one thing straight! I take orders from one person; me!" he tells her, arms similarly folded in defiance like her own.

"Oh, you are not as smart as you think you are Hyde Solo" she glares at him, "If you were, then you'd know what I know"

"And what exactly do you know that I don't, Princess?" he asks her, as they stand toe to toe, voices dropped to a whisper since now it is all that is needed for the other to hear.

"I know" she tells him, taking in an uneven breath, "that the Force is with you" she says, pushing herself up on her toes and pressing her lips to his...

"Argh!" Hyde yelled as he tumbled from the couch and landed with a thud on the basement floor.

Clutching his head and trying to make sense of what the hell just happened, Hyde looked around at the darkened room and recalled the dream he'd just had. He must've fallen asleep here after the gang got back from the movies. Star Wars had been pretty cool, he remembered, and being stuck pressed up against Jackie in the back of the Vista Cruiser hadn't been bad either.

Forman had left him watching TV down here in the basement, and Hyde was sure Eric had guessed why he'd wanted to be left behind. Going home wasn't so much a great option right now, since his Mom was spending increasing amount of time away and/or very drunk. He wasn't in the mood for another argument about something and nothing which would doubtless happen should Edna be home.

No, instead he'd decided to get some sleep in the Formans' basement, with plans to go home in the morning just to change clothes, and then return to his friends house where he was always welcome.

The problem in the plan had been falling asleep, and dreaming of Jackie. She made one hot Princess Leia, that was for sure, maybe even hotter than the real thing in the movie, and Hyde liked the idea of being Han Solo.

The kiss bothered him somewhat and the words she'd said to him. All this stuff had to be in his head, all these stupid ideas that there was something between himself and Jackie. She seemed to be more friendly lately, but that was probably just a necessity. She wasn't dating Kelso anymore, so she had to be nice to somebody, at least pretend to like a member of the gang, or she wouldn't have a good excuse to hang around at the basement anymore.

On the other hand, Hyde would've thought it would be easier for Jackie to be nice to Donna or encourage Fez who she was much more likely to get a positive response out of. Hyde was too Zen for any chick to be making friends with, at least that's what he'd like people to believe. He'd spoilt the show somewhat by letting Jackie's tears sway him into taking her to the Prom.

There was definitely something about this girl, Hyde thought, as he pulled himself up off the floor at last and sat himself on the edge of the couch, running his hands back over his face and through his hair. When she cried, he felt the pain, and when she'd kissed him that night after Prom, there was something different. He'd kissed enough girls, he knew how it felt, but with Jackie there was something different, something he didn't have words or an explanation for...

Quickly admonishing himself for thinking like a chick for even the smallest of moments, Hyde picked up his glasses from the table and put them back on. It was getting light out, almost dawn. The walk home would clear his head, he thought, as he pulled his jacket tight around himself and shoved his hands in his pockets as soon as he was out of the door.

"A princess, and a guy like me...?" he said to himself as images from his dream flashed through his mind once again.

As much as he would love to dismiss it all as just a crazy dream, Hyde had a feeling that it really wasn't going to be that simple.

_To Be Continued..._


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N : So grateful for the continued support on this fic :-) Happy Easter to all those that celebrate it :-)  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 4

Jackie stopped just short of the Forman house and took a deep breath. Every time she had to face Steven she was feeling more and more unprepared. It was becoming increasingly clear that he was very different to Michael, and also quite different to Jackie herself, therefore finding things in common with him was awkward. Still, she was determined to find a way to get close to him, to make him see they could be good together, as she was convinced they could be.

It seemed weird even in her own head, the thought of someone so pretty and popular as herself wanting to get close to a scruffy anti-establishment guy like Steven Hyde, but he was so sweet sometimes, and not completely unattractive as she had come to realise.

Taking another breath she put on her best smile as she walked around the corner and up onto the driveway. Steven was there, as she was sure he would be, with Eric, Donna, and Fez loading something into the back of the Vista Cruiser from the garage.

"Hey everybody" Jackie grinned, "What are you doing with all that paint?" she asked too loudly when she caught sight of what they were packing into the car.

"Ssh, Jackie" Donna urged her, "Mr Forman will hear, and then we're all dead"

"Yeah, I could really use not being dead again" Eric threw in, turning to look at the little brunette, "So if you're in full loud-mouth cheerleader mode, Jackie, maybe you should just toddle off home" he suggested, with a gesture that waved her away.

"I can be quiet if I have to, Eric" Jackie protested, wishing deep inside that Hyde would have jumped to her defence instead of her having to stand up for herself.

She knew that just wasn't the way he was, not most of the time. He was very different to Michael, she realised all over again, but surely that was a good thing really. Michael had cheated on her and treated her badly. Dating someone completely opposite to him had to be good for her.

"Good" Hyde said suddenly, as he emerged from the back of the car where he'd been arranging the paint cans with a blanket over them just in case, "So long as you'll keep your mouth shut I'll tell you what we're doing" he said, about to do just that when Kelso appeared from the other direction, hollering and whooping.

"Yeah, pot leaf on the water tower!" he yelled, "Woohoo!"

He was clearly excited about the plan he'd just divulged to half the neighbourhood and nobody was happy about it. Everybody shushed him, as Hyde punched him hard in the arm and told him to shut up immediately. Jackie took it as a particular kindness that at least she didn't get frogged for asking about the plan – Donna was usually more than willing and able.

"Why are we painting a pot leaf on the water tower?" Jackie asked Hyde in a whisper as the gang all climbed into the car, taking what had become their regular positions, with Eric, Donna, and Kelso in front, Hyde, Jackie, and Fez in the back.

"We? Why are _we_ doing this?" Hyde asked her, with an amused smile, "Like you'd ever help out with vandalism, man"

"Huh!" she made a little annoyed sound as she glared at him, "If you guys can do it, I can too" she said haughtily, "It's not like I'm afraid to bend the rules"

Hyde could hardly believe what he was hearing. That dream he'd had about Jackie, all the weird thoughts and emotions that he'd tried to push away on account of her being a stuck-up, tight-ass cheerleader who thought fun was riding ponies and going to the mall, it was all messing with his brain. Not only was he now noticing how hot Jackie was, and liking her new attitude that had begun the moment she dropped Kelso's sorry ass, now she was going badass too, and agreeing to partake in vandalism and crime.

"You're really going along with, Jackie?" Donna turned around in the front seat, her surprise obvious on her features.

"Sure, why not, Donna?" her little friend shot back at her, "What, you think I'm not badass enough to play your dumb pranks with you?" she asked, not looking at all happy at the accusation as she folded her arms across her chest.

In all honesty, the whole gang would've been pretty impressed by her apparent bravery and all, the problem was hearing someone like Jackie say 'badass' was just far more amusing than anything else.

"Jackie, you want in on this, man, that's cool" Hyde assured her, holding back a chuckle, "We just thought this wasn't your scene is all"  
"Well, maybe you don't know me as well as you think, Steven" she told him with a look as they travelled on towards their destination.

That much was true, Hyde thought, as he glanced out of the window at the darkening sky. Jackie was definitely different to what he'd thought, and though it was true enough that he hadn't exactly tried to get to know her before, he was sure she had changed from the way she was when she was dating Kelso.

The old Jackie he knew and mostly hated, would not have said 'badass' and certainly would not have been trying to get in on some act of vandalism like this. What Hyde couldn't quite fathom was why she was changing so much, if it was for the benefit of himself or another, or maybe, as crazy as it seemed, just maybe this was the real Jackie that had been hidden deep inside, only now escaping because Kelso wasn't there to tell her she was pretty and cute, and treat her like the idiot that _he_ actually was.

Whatever the reason for Jackie's change in attitude, Hyde liked it, a little more than he was comfortable with but he'd have to deal with that. There was no way he was letting some girl under his skin, it would only lead to no good. Guys like him and chicks like her didn't make a match, even if she was becoming a whole lot cooler lately.

* * *

"Hey, Steven, look" Jackie turned way from the water tower, leaning on the railing and looking out at the view, "From up here, doesn't Point Place look just like Paris?" she sighed dreamily.

Hyde shook his head, realising that exactly this kind of thing was the reason he and Jackie would never be together.

"You think that looks like Paris, doll?" he smirked, "At least now we know why you thought Kelso could be a model" he said, getting back to work with his paintbrush and green paint.

A moment later, the gang stood back and admired their work.

"Um, guys?" Eric said, face twisting into a less than impressed expression, "It doesn't look like a pot leaf" he declared, shaking his head.

"Yes, I agree" Fez nodded, "it looks like it is giving us the finger"

"It's this part, man, it needs to go out wider..." Hyde started to say as he climbed up onto the railing, paintbrush in hand.

"Steven, be careful" Jackie told him worriedly, knowing it was dangerous for him to be balanced up their like that, especially when he started to lean out further in order to paint the leaves of their artwork bigger and wider.

"Jackie, will you quit whining" he yelled down to her, "I am not going to faaalllll!" the last world turned into a shout as he tumbled backwards off the railing and plummeted to the ground below.

"Oh my God, Hyde!" Donna yelled after him, as Jackie screamed in panic.

The thump of their friend hitting the ground made everybody wince, and Kelso leaned as far over the railing as he dare, calling down.

"Hey, Hyde!" he yelled, "How's in look from down there?"

"Like it's giving me the finger!" he called back, and Eric nodded in understanding.

Though they were all concerned for their friends welfare, the gang were surprised to see Jackie hurrying to be the first down the ladder to see if he was okay. She seemed to care a lot about him all of a sudden, and that was just weird.

* * *

"Yeah, that's great, Mom" Hyde said down the phone that he was holding in one hand, his other useless since his arm was in a sling, "No, I didn't... What did you...? Oh yeah, thanks a lot!" he yelled eventually, slamming the phone down and going so far as to pull it free from the wall and throw it across the room, narrowly missing Kelso who yelped in shock, "She's real upset about the whole thing" Hyde told his friends as they looked at him with surprise at his outburst.

"Oh Steven, it doesn't matter if your Mom doesn't care about you" Jackie told him dramatically, as was often her way, "I'll... um, _we'll_ take care of you in your hour of need"

"Oh yeah, sure thing, man" Eric agreed, "Hour of need, we're your guys" he said, pointing a finger at his friend, and suddenly noticing the time on his watch, "Ah, just so long as that hour of need is not right now" he said, tilting his wrist to show Donna his watch.

"Oh my God, my Dad'll kill me if I miss curfew" she said, grabbing her jacket from the end of the bed and rushing for the door.

"Your Dad? What about my Dad?!" Eric yelled as he followed her out, with Kelso and Fez pelting along behind, "Feel better, Hyde!"

"Yeah, thanks a lot, Forman!" Steven called through the door just before it swung closed behind his supposed friends.

"Don't worry, Steven" Jackie said brightly, getting his attention as she hopped up to sit beside him on the hospital bed, "I can call my driver and get him to come pick us up. Who needs Eric's lame old Vista Cruiser when I can have Hampton bring the limo around?"

"You actually have a limo?" Hyde checked, glancing her way, and Jackie was almost thrown off completely from answering by the sight of his eyes.

Too often Steven hid behind his tinted glasses, but they'd got broken during his fall and now here he sat, all open to the world. Jackie found she liked him better this way.

"Actually, Daddy's just renting it for the weekend" she explained about the fancy car, "but it's mostly for some fancy dinner tomorrow evening, we could use it tonight and he probably wouldn't even notice" she shrugged.

"That's cool" came Hyde's Zen answer as he looked away.

This was awkward, in fact it was beyond awkward right now. Being this close to Jackie reminded Hyde of Prom night, the connection that had somehow been made between them, and that goodnight kiss that haunted him still, so far as he'd dreamt of it just a couple of days ago. This was not a dream now, this was real life, and she really was this close to him, looking so pretty, smelling so good.

"Er, y'know I can get home by myself" he said quickly, "It's only a couple of miles" he shrugged.

"Steven, you live right across town" Jackie reminded him, "it's at least ten miles to your house, you can't walk all that way in the dark, especially since you're injured"

"I sprained my wrist, Jackie" he told her, "It doesn't stop my legs from working" he pointed out, just wanting to be anywhere but here, this close to her, feeling anything but the overwhelming urge he was getting to kiss her.

"I said I was going to take care of you, Steven, and that's what I'm going to do" Jackie insisted, putting an arm around him.

Hyde jumped away as if he'd been burned by her touch, getting to his feet and walking away from the bed.

"Jackie, I don't need you to take care of me, okay, man?" he told her, getting angry, though honestly he was more mad at himself than he was at her right now.

"But Steven…" she began, only to be interrupted by his rant.

"No!" he told her firmly, gesturing with his uninjured arm, "I don't want to hear whatever it is you want to say, and stop calling me Steven, nobody calls me that, okay? It's Hyde"

"I'm sorry" she much more quietly than her usual tone, her eyes going to the floor and her hands fidgeting in her lap, "I was just, I wanted to help" she said sadly, feeling awful that she'd made him to mad at her.

These last couple of weeks since Prom, everything had been going so well between them. Sure, she wanted there to be more, but they were friends right now, getting to know each other, and that was good enough. Now it seemed even that was getting spoilt and she hated to think it. Tears started to fill her eyes, and she hated that too, but she couldn't help it. She wanted to be tough and smart, the kind of girl Steven Hyde would fall in love with, but no matter how hard she tried it seemed it wasn't going to happen, he didn't want her, not even as a friend to help him out.

"Jackie, come on, man" Hyde sighed when he realised what he'd done, "Please, will you not start crying again" he urged her.

She was making him feel awful, worse than that, she was making him care about her feelings! Hyde wasn't the kind of guy who worried about chicks feelings, or anybody's feelings for that matter. He was Zen, aloof, detached, but lately when it came to Jackie and her tears he just couldn't stand it. It was a situation such as this that had got him into this mess in the first place.

"I'm not crying" Jackie lied, the emotion obvious in her voice, as she brought her hand to her face and wiped away a tear.

"Look, I… I'm sorry" Hyde forced out, hating that he felt the need to apologise but knowing he had to or he was just going to feel even worse about all this, "I know you're trying to help and stuff" he said as he came to sit beside her once again, "I guess I'm just not used to that" he explained, as he put his one good arm around her and she put her head down on his shoulder.

"I don't mean to get so stupid and upset" she said, almost as if she was angry with herself for showing any kind of emotion.

Hyde wasn't sure he understood that, unless she was trying to put on a tough show for his benefit, maybe to impress him. He had been the one to encourage her to have a spine lately, and it seemed like she had really taken his words to heart. Hyde wondered why she would bother unless she liked him, and surely that was a crazy idea. Sure, he'd been having weird thoughts and dreams about her but to think she felt that way about him too was insane, after all, wouldn't she just be throwing herself into his arms if that were true?

Jackie brought her head up from his shoulder and looked up at him, just as he glanced her way too. The look in her eyes as she gazed up at him certainly suggested she was having the same thoughts as he was, and suddenly she really was in his arms.

It could've been a perfect moment, another kiss even better than the one before, possibly better even than the one in that intense dream Hyde had experienced not so long ago, but it was not to be as a nurse came in through the door. The two young people jumped a mile apart in an instant, and the moment was lost, for now at least.

_To Be Continued..._


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N : Apologies for the slightly late update - I had trouble uploading! Thanx so much for the continued support, it means a lot :-)  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. -see chapter 1**_

Chapter 5

"Jackie, man, for the last time, would you just stop making such a big damn deal" Hyde complained as she fussed over him in the back of the limo on the way home from the hospital.

"Somebody has to care about you, Steven" she retorted, "I mean, Hyde" she corrected herself when she caught sight of the look in his eye, "The doctor said you still might have a concussion or something after your fall"

"Well, I can see why he would think that" he admitted, "After all, I must have had a bump to the head to ever think getting a ride home with you was a good idea" he said, getting up from the seat next to her and moving to sit on the other side of the car.

Seriously, Hyde was beginning to wonder if he really had received a blow to the head just not tonight, more like the day before Prom when he'd first started spending time getting to know and actually liking Jackie Burkhart!

"Fine, be all ungrateful and crotchety" she said, waving her hand in an empathic gesture then folding her arms over her chest looking a little angry, "I don't care, I'm still going to take care of you"

Hyde couldn't help but smile at that. Sure she was annoying the hell out of him, but the fact she'd even want to try and care about him was kind of nice. There were plenty of people in the world who went out of their way not to care for Steven Hyde; his Mom, his Dad, and it was their _job_ to care! He and Jackie had no particular connection, they certainly weren't dating, they'd barely been friends up until Prom, but now, they had a relationship of some kind. It was undefined, unspoken, and yet they were getting to be friends, as crazy as that sounded.

Hyde was not friends with chicks, except for Donna but she'd been one of the guys for so long, it was like she was an exception to the rule, after all there always tends to be one. Sure, he'd noticed she was a woman, mostly when Eric did the same thing. For a while there, he'd thought he was in love with Ms Pinciotti, but in the end he came to realise how crazy that was. He only wanted Donna because Eric did, because they were going to end up together, he knew it, and he feared being left out in the cold. Kelso had Jackie, Donna and Eric were getting it together, that'd leave him, and recently Fez, at a loose end, spare wheels on the love boat, not that boats had wheels but...

Just as Hyde was starting to wonder if the painkillers from the hospital were messing with his head way more than his stash usually did, the limo pulled up outside his house and Jackie was talking again.

"So, here we are, home sweet home" she told him, as Hyde glanced her way.

"Yeah, real sweet" he said with a sardonic smile as he reached for the door and let himself out of the car.

He didn't argue when Jackie followed him, there was little or no point to it, she never listened to a damn thing he said anyway, in fact she barely listened to anyone, ever.

"So, you'll be okay for tonight, I guess" she said as she hovered in front of him on the porch, "Your Mom..."

"...is probably either drunk and sleeping, or drunk and out some place else" Hyde finished for her, "but it's cool, I keep on telling you, Jackie, I can take care of myself. I've been doing it a long time"

Jackie just nodded her head, not really knowing what else to say. It was different for her, being a little lost for words, but then she felt like she was changing a lot since she started to develop an attraction to Steven Hyde. He was way deeper and more complex than other guys, especially more so than Michael Kelso! It was like, Michael was a boy, but Steven was a man. She had to play it very differently if she wanted his attention.

She watched as he turned to go into the house, disappointed not to have gotten anywhere fast tonight. Last time they'd stood here they'd shared that goodnight kiss that was burned so brightly into her brain. Tonight, she didn't even get the words 'good night', at least she thought so until he turned back with a sigh.

"Look, Jackie" he said, "I know you were just tryin' to help me out tonight" he admitted, "And I guess I came down on you pretty hard, I'm just... people don't usually so much care, about me" he shrugged.

As he stood there looking down at her, eyes locked on hers and a smile playing at his lips, Jackie figured now was as good a time as any to just go for it. Usually she waited for guys to kiss her, but she knew everything was different with Steven, and this was obviously one more thing for the list. He wasn't going to make a move, not anytime in her lifetime it seemed, so the task fell to her.

Pushing herself forward and up on her toes, Jackie put her lips to his, which shouldn't have come as a huge surprise to Hyde, but it did. Later he would blame the painkillers, the bump on his head, and a hundred other things that didn't deserve the praise or blame for what happened, but in that moment he kissed Jackie back, his good arm going around her waist and pulling her closer to him.

It was as good as his dream, better than the last time, and probably the biggest mistake of his life, but here he was, doing it anyway, consequences be damned.

* * *

"So you're okay now?" Donna asked Eric as they sat on the basement couch together, "You talked to your parents about the 'incident'?" she air-quoted.

It was three days after Hyde's accident at the water tower, the same Friday night that Eric had come home late and run upstairs, a little late for curfew. As he came past his parents bedroom, creeping slowly so as not to wake them if they were sleeping, he'd found the door had been left half open, and through the gap he could see Kitty and Red and, in Kelso's eloquent words, they were totally doing it!

Poor Eric had been unable to sleep all weekend, he could barely eat, or concentrate on anything, til finally, when his father comforted him about being on dope on Monday morning, Eric was forced to admit what had happened. Now the tragedy was over, and he felt he could move on, if only his girlfriend would stop bringing up the subject. She had been the one person he could confide in, now he wished he hadn't done so.

"Look, Donna, I'm trying to repress the images and thoughts and... everything" he told her firmly, eyes flitting to her then back to the TV, "So, can we just not talk about it ever, ever again please?" he begged her.

"Sure" she smirked, finding the whole thing amusing in spite of the fact she ought to feel bad for her boyfriend.

She snuggled in closer under his arm and they concentrated on the Brady Bunch for a whole five minutes before the urge to make out overtook them as often happened with lusty teens such as them. They were on top of each other, joined at the lips, arms and legs all over the place when suddenly the door swung open and Kelso burst in with Fez right behind him.

Eric and Donna jumped apart so fast it looked as if they'd been burnt, as their friends grinned at them.

"Kelso, man, don't you knock?" Eric asked him.

"And miss out on all the fun stuff that you don't want me to see?" Michael scoffed, "No way!"

"Please, carry on" Fez told the couple with a smile, "Pretend we are not here"

"Oh, gross, Fez" Donna complained, throwing a pillow at him, the momentum of which made him sit down in the chair whether he wanted to or not.

"What are you guys even doing here?" Eric asked, as he straightened his shirt, eyes following Kelso as he crossed to the freezer and pulled out a popsicle, "I thought you were gonna go check on Hyde after school" he recalled.

It wasn't so weird for their rebel friend to skip classes sometimes, but they hadn't seen anything of him since his accident at the water tower. They called his house once only to get his irate mother on the line, telling them to get lost, and therefore hadn't risked actually going to his home to check out the situation. Finally, Kelso had decided he was brave enough, and Fez, wanting to look manly had agreed to go with him, leaving Eric and Donna who were glad of the alone time. Jackie's absence from the basement hadn't really bothered anybody but Kelso, and he'd just waved it away saying she was probably grieving over losing him to Pam Macey - yeah, whatever!

"Yeah, Hyde wasn't at his house" Kelso told them, pulling himself up to sit on the dryer, as he ate his popsicle.

"Well, if he wasn't at school and he's not at his house, where is he?" Donna asked looking a little worried, "I mean, Hyde disappears sometimes for like a day, but it's been three now, plus he's injured"

"Donna, I'm sure he's fine" Eric assured her with a hand on her arm, as she began to look agitated, "This is Hyde we're talking about, he's like sole survivor guy"

"Yes, this is true" Fez agreed, "Hyde is much smarter than any of you idiots"

"Couldn't've said it better myself, man" the very man grinned as he appeared from the back of the basement with a grin on his face.

"Hyde? What the hell, man?" Eric gasped, jumping up from he couch and confronting his friend, "How long were you hiding back there?"

"Mostly the whole weekend" he shrugged, like it was no big deal as he took his usual seat and flipped on the TV.

"The whole weekend? In the back of the basement?" Donna frowned, "Why didn't you go home or come to school, or hey, even tell us you were back there?" she said, gesturing behind herself to the small room from which her friend had just appeared.

"I needed some time" he told her absently, "The painkillers made me wanna sleep, and home was too loud. I found an old cot in the back room of the basement so I crashed for a while"

His friends accepted his excuses, it was the easiest thing to do, especially with Hyde. He was glad they didn't probe any further into the situation anyway, after all the truth might slip out and Hyde so didn't want that to happy. It wouldn't exactly sound too manly to say he was hiding from a cheerleader who, at this point, may either want to jump him or batter him on sight.

Friday night was odd to recall, falling off the water tower and busting his arm, going to the hospital, then riding home in a rented limo with Jackie, only to end up thanking her for her help, then kissing her senseless on the front porch. Sure, she'd initiated contact, but Hyde had taken every advantage that was presented to him, as much as being essentially a one-armed man allowed.

To confess he was hiding from Jackie would be nothing compared to admitting he kissed her, on purpose, and enjoyed it. That had to be the hottest kiss he'd ever had outside of a few erotic dreams that were almost too dangerously sizzling to recall, especially the most recent one that actually had Jackie in it!

"Hang on a second" Eric said suddenly, interrupting Hyde's train of thought, "You were back there, pretty much all weekend? Even when me and Donna were..."

"Even then" Hyde smirked, "You know you guys make some weird noises when you make out" he told them, trying not to laugh, "But not as weird as what I heard Pam Macey yelling..." he added, turning to shoot a wicked look in Kelso's direction.

"Uh!" he exclaimed, way too high-pitched than any man should, knowing what Hyde was about to divulge.

"Oh, Michael" Hyde faked a high-pitched Barbie-esque voice as he impersonated Kelso's slutty girlfriend, "This is so disappointing, I thought you were a real man!" he exclaimed, with a girlish cry that amused the others immensely.

"Kelso is not a real man?" Fez asked, finding it all amusing but not really knowing what he was laughing at.

"How can I put this, Fez?" Hyde sighed, thinking for a good euphemism.

"Oh, I got this one" Eric smirked, facing his foreign friend, "See, there were a lot of Amish people, but they weren't able to... raise a barn" he said, with an odd hand gesture and a look on the last part that told Fez what he really meant.

"Oooh" the boy nodded, "I get it!" he exclaimed, "Oh, Kelso, I am so sorry you have faulty man-parts" he said, with almost genuine sympathy, which didn't impress his friend at all.

"There are nothing wrong with any of my parts!" he yelled, jumping down from the dryer, and storming out of the basement, as his friends bust up laughing at the hilarity of the situation.

"Well, that's always good to hear" Kitty said with a look and a loud laugh, as she descended the stairs with a basket of laundry in her hands, "So, how are all you kids doing? Did you have a good day at school?"

General answers were given in the positive, and no mention was made of Steven's hiding out in the basement, it would only cause more fuss than was necessary.

"Oh, by the way, Steven" Kitty said, suddenly turning to him when she was done loading the dryer, "How are things with you and Jackie?"

"What? Huh? Me and Jackie?" he said too fast, looking almost guilty, "There's nothing going on with me and Jackie, no, nothing"

"Oh" Kitty said, with a confused look, "Oh well, my mistake, I guess" she painted on a grin before hurrying back up the stairs and leaving the teens to their own devices once again.

"Well, I should be heading home" Donna said suddenly kissing her boyfriends cheek, "I'll see you tomorrow"

"Yes, I too should go" Fez nodded, getting up and following the red-head to the door, "My host parents will be home soon and I need to raid their secret candy stash" he grinned, hurrying out after Donna and letting the door slam shut behind him.

"So" Eric sighed, looking toward his remaining friend, "You go AWOL for three days, and hey, coincidence, so does Jackie"

"What is it with you Formans, man?" Hyde shook his head, "You're all obsessed with Jackie!"

"Um, Hyde?" Eric smiled, "Are you sure it's not just _you_ that's obsessed with her?"

"Yeah, right, Forman" Hyde scoffed, "I'm secretly dating the littlest princess behind all of your backs. Like that would ever happen. You've been watching way too much science fiction crap, man" he declared, getting up from his seat and following his friends out of the back door.

All alone in the basement, Eric suddenly had a thought about what Hyde had said. Surprisingly it was not the comments about Jackie that suddenly caused him to leap up from his seat with a disgusted and nauseous look on his face, it was the thought of Kelso and Pam Macey, and what they had been trying to do right there on his very own couch!

_To Be Continued..._


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N : So many awesome reviews - thanx so much! Check out the new chapter, and please continue to let me know what you think :-)  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 6

It was the next day after school when Donna finally caught up with Jackie. She was the first of the gang to have seen the cheerleader since last Friday night at the hospital, where they'd left her alone with an injured Hyde. He seemed less than willing to talk about the incident, and Jackie in particular was a topic that incurred a lot of anger from the young man with a conspiracy theory for every occasion.

Whilst Kelso was sure Jackie was away somewhere pining for him, and Eric had suggested that perhaps aliens had abducted her to a planet that wished to study airhead cheerleaders, Donna was getting more and more concerned for the little brunette. It was a sobering thought when she realised she actually cared about this girl like a friend, after all, Donna had pretty much only had boy friends since she was a kid, and the cheerleaders were usually the first in line to make jokes at the expense of the overly tall red-head. In fact, Jackie had been amongst the worst, referring to Donna as 'that lumberjack Pinciotti' on more than one occasion. In spite of all this, the girls had kind of leant on each other these past months in the basement when the guys were just being too gross or just too male to bear.

"Hey, Jackie" Donna greeted her with a smile, though she barely got a similar response, "We haven't seen you around in a few days. Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be okay, Donna?" Jackie looked unimpressed at the suggestion, "I'm a beautiful, popular girl, most likely the prettiest friend you'll ever have. Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"Well, it's just you haven't been by the basement, not since the whole water tower thing" she said, as the two girls began walking down the hall, "I mean, your parents didn't find out about that and ground you or anything, did they?"

"No, I didn't get grounded" she shook her head, "I just... I didn't feel like hanging out" she said, looking away.

Donna wondered why Jackie would feel the need to shy away from the conversation. If she just wasn't in the mood for company, that was cool, but it was very unlike Jackie to want to be alone all weekend, and equally as strange for her to be avoiding a direct conversation. She usually gave her opinions so strongly, now Donna could barely get an answer to her simple questions out of her.

"Jackie is this about Kelso?" she asked carefully, "I mean, are you not comfortable with him around now you guys broke up?"

"Oh, no way" the brunette protested strongly, "Michael and I are so over, I broke it off remember, and I am not sorry either" she said firmly, "I am way stronger and happier without him"

"Well, I'll maybe agree with stronger, you're definitely acting different" Donna agreed, "But you don't seem happier, it's almost like…" she thought about it a moment, as Jackie glanced her way, the look in her eyes almost willing Donna to figure it out so they could talk about it.

The only thing Donna could think was that Jackie was avoiding one of the gang because she'd had a fight with them or something, but she knew it wasn't her or Eric, she'd struck Kelso off the list, and Fez would've mentioned if it was him.

"Okay, so this is about Hyde?" she asked eventually, and Jackie couldn't deny it, the shift in her expression gave her away, "Oh my God, it is. You like Hyde!"

"Ssh, Donna!" her friend hushed her, "And it's not as simple as that…" she sighed as they cleared the front doors of the school and continued walking til they reached an empty bench they could sit on and talk quietly away from prying eyes and ears.

"I really don't understand this" Donna admitted with a shake of her head, "Hyde's like… Hyde" she said, not sure how else to phrase it, "I mean, he's like the total opposite to you. Don't you two kind of hate each other?"

"Things have changed, Donna" Jackie shook her head, "From the moment Steven offered to take me to the Prom" she explained.

"You mean since you pretty much forced him into taking you?" the red-head checked.

"That is not important!" Jackie snapped, "The point is, we had a really great time" she smiled fondly as she recalled that special night, "We danced, and he said I was the most beautiful girl there, which of course I already knew, but for him to admit it, oh Donna, it was all so beautiful, and then we drove home and kissed by the porch light..."

"You and Hyde kissed?" Donna checked, looking amazed that the pair of them had kept all this quiet, especially Jackie who was usually such a blabbermouth, especially when it came to guys and relationships.

"Yes, we kissed" Jackie nodded, "And it happened again on Friday night, after I got my driver to take us home from the hospital" she explained, "Oh Donna it was the most amazing kiss of my life. I never knew I could feel so much, and I know Steven must have felt it too"

"So then why are you avoiding each other? If the kiss was so hot and so perfect, shouldn't you be all over each other?" Donna frowned, not understanding at all.

Though the idea of her two friends dating seemed insane, it made even less sense for them to discover their feelings for each other and then never speak to each other again! Hyde had seemed overly snappy when Jackie's name had come up, and she was acting like discovering a potential new love of her life was a total downer. It was all way too weird for Donna.

"Well, I thought it all meant something" Jackie admitted, "I thought after that second kiss, that was it, and we'd be together, but I was so wrong, Donna" she said, shaking her head sadly, "I went over to Steven's house the next day and… well, he wasn't happy to see me…"

* * *

- Flashback -

Saturday

Hyde's House

* * *

Jackie waited on the porch of Steven Hyde's house, after impatiently knocking on the door three times. Eventually she heard the loud yelling of Edna, telling her son that it would be authorities at the door, coming to take him away for some reason or other. The coarse tone and harsh words made Jackie wince, but she was soon smiling bright as the sun when Hyde finally appeared at the door.

"Yeah, if the authorities came it would be for you, ma!" he yelled back at his mother, before opening the front door, rubbing his eyes tiredly with the back of his hand, hair in even more disarray than usual.

Jackie guessed she'd probably interrupted his sleep, but surely Steven would never be anything but pleased to see her, not after last nights events.

"Jackie, what the hell are you doing here, man? It's like dawn or something" he squinted against the harsh sunlight.

"Steven, you're so silly" she giggled, slapping him across the shoulder, "It's almost lunch time" she told him, getting hold of his good hand in both of hers, "So I thought you could maybe take me to the Hub and…"

"What? No!" Hyde protested, pulling his hand free from her grasp, letting the use of his first name slip this time since he was too sleepy to really notice, "Why would I want to take you to lunch?" he asked her, "In fact, why would I ever want to go anywhere with you?"

"Because you like me" she told him, as if he were stupid, "And I like you, and last night…"

"Last night?" he echoed, "I don't even remember half of last night, man" he lied, though he was convincing enough that Jackie wasn't sure whether he meant it or not, "Those painkillers from the hospital are way stronger than my stash, man, I barely remember anything" he said, wishing he had his sunglasses to hide behind, and since he didn't, putting his hand in front of his face as if to keep the sun out that way.

"Don't you mess with me, Steven Hyde" Jackie snapped at him, pointing a finger, "You do so remember what happened, you're just pretending not to because… because you're afraid of what you feel for me" she decided on the spot.

She wasn't sure if that was really why he was behaving like this, but she had to have some excuse for his behaviour. She couldn't let this go, she couldn't believe he really didn't remember, that it was just the drugs, and that he really didn't like her at all. It would break her heart to think that now, since she'd realised last night just how hard and fast she was falling here.

"Look, get this through your little Easy Bake Oven head" he said, getting in her face suddenly, knowing what he was about to say was all crap, but also sure it was for the best, "I don't like you, I thought you were okay for a while, but now I plead temporary insanity, okay?" he said angrily, "We are not a couple, we are barely even friends, and think about this, Jackie, if you don't believe that I can't remember what happened last night, then believe that I wish I didn't!" he yelled, before turning and slamming his way back into the house, his mother immediately screaming at him for making more noise when she was still trying to catch up on sleep.

On the doorstep, Jackie's lip trembled and tears filled her eyes as she gazed up at the house.

"You'll regret this, Steven Hyde!" she yelled pointlessly behind him, then ran quickly away before she really started crying.

* * *

- Flashforward -

Tuesday

High School

* * *

"Oh my God!" Donna gasped, "I can't believe Hyde treated you that way!" she said though honestly she knew he could be a real jerk sometimes, "I ought to kick his ass for that!"

"No, Donna, it's fine" Jackie told her, "I realise now that Steven is probably right" she said sadly, "We don't belong together, we're just too different"

"But if you like him…" the red-head began, looking even more confused – where was the Jackie she knew and kind of respected, the tough little woman she'd seen developing over the past couple of weeks since the break-up with Kelso. Now it was like Jackie was even less strong than she had been when she'd been chasing Michael around. To think a guy she'd professed to hate for so long could have such a profound affect on her was crazy.

"It doesn't matter, Donna" Jackie shook her head, "I can't be what Steven wants, I thought I could but I can't" she said, sniffing as if she was having trouble not breaking down again, "I already bought this so, if you could give it to him" she said, pulling at her book bag and producing a box which she handed to the re-head, "I don't think I'll be coming by the basement much anymore" she said with a sad smile, before she walked away.

Donna wasn't sure whether she should go after Jackie or let her be. If she chased after her, she didn't really know what to say to make her feel any better, so she just stayed put. With curiosity filling her, she looked down at the box in the hands; long rectangular, and cardboard, she lifted the lid and smiled. A new pair of sunglasses for Hyde, mostly identical to the last pair. He hated being without them, but lack of funds and presumably avoidance of Jackie had prevented him from getting a new pair yet. Though his behaviour suggested he didn't deserve these, Donna would hand them over like Jackie asked, along with a piece of her mind!

* * *

"Hello, House of Chicken? How big are your wings?" Fez said into the public phone at The Hub, not realising he was messing up the joke.

"Breasts!" Hyde yelled the correction to him, as the foreign kid re-tried his prank call.

It was only when he began giving his name and starting a real conversation that Hyde began gesturing for him to hang up immediately, before getting back to his comic book. He was almost completely unaware of his friends rambling as his eyes faced the page of the comic and his brain went back into over-drive, full of thoughts of a silly cheerleader he should've known better than to get to close to. He was being such a coward, and he knew it too. Yelling at Jackie then hurrying in the house before she started to cry, knowing if he saw her tears he'd crumble all over again. Pretending he didn't remember that kiss they'd shared, or that maybe he did but it meant nothing.

It was all just stupid. Hyde had never gone this nuts over a chick, and he wished he wasn't now. Guys like him didn't go with girls like Jackie, he should be dating a girl like...

'Like her!' Hyde's brain screamed, as a girl in black leather and heavy make-up came crashing into The Hub.

As the door swung wildly behind her, Hyde spotted the Vespa she'd arrived on, before his eyes travelled back to the girl before him, and she spoke.

"Hey, one of you idiots wanna show me where the nearest hotel is in this puke hole town?" she asked, and whilst Fez looked quite frightened of the apparent punk chick, Hyde could not stop staring at her.

"I can show you" he nodded, getting up, "I'm Hyde" he said, looking her over.

"I'm Chrissy" she half-smiled, "And before you get any ideas, I don't believe in friends, relationships, or love, okay?"

"You do not believe in love?" Fez asked nervously.

"Love is an outdated concept used by industrialists to keep women subservient" Chrissy snapped, sending the foreign boy cowering behind his friend's chair once again.

Hyde couldn't believe what he was hearing. This is the kind of thing he said, this girl should be his dream woman. Up to a few days ago he'd have run out here as fast as possible after someone like Chrissy. Jackie had made him feel differently, had made him think reasonably about all this love and happily ever after crap. What he needed was to get the cheerleader off his mind, and he had a feeling Chrissy could help with that.

"You having a seizure, man?" she asked him, as he stared unseeing at her.

"No, no, I'm cool" Hyde assured her, "Let's get you to that hotel" he smiled, following Chrissy out the door, and climbing onto her bike with her.

Yeah, this was a good move, Hyde told himself, not quite understanding why a little voice in the back of his mind told him it really wasn't.

_To Be Continued..._


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N : Yeah, so the punk chick thing isn't going down so well with you guys, but thankfully you'reall still reading and sending positive feedback so it's cool, and you know you can trust me to deliver the J/H in the end! Here's the next installment, still in the Punk Chick episode...  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 7

In spite of her telling Donna she didn't intend to hang out at the basement much anymore, Jackie realised she would at least have to visit the Forman house tomorrow. Her latest Home Ec project was to bake a pie, and she honestly wasn't sure where to begin.

Of course the teacher had spent two whole classes explaining everything, but whilst the other girls paid rapt attention, making notes on everything they were being shown, the only things Jackie found herself writing on her paper were about herself and the man she'd fallen for.

'Jackie Hyde'

'Mrs Steven Hyde'

'Dr and Mrs Steven Hyde'

The list went on with various connotations of names, as well as doodled love hearts, rainbows, and so on. How she had come to fall so hard and fast for Steven Hyde, even Jackie herself could not understand. The fact was it had happened, and there was nothing she could do about it. Even his indifference to her couldn't change how she felt, and Jackie hated knowing everything had got so screwed up.

Before, it had seemed unlikely that she and Steven would ever be together, he was so different to Michael, and she was sure she was different to any girl Steven had dated before. Still, as friends they'd got along pretty well, they were starting to find things they had in common, and Jackie found that she didn't have to change that much to fit into Steven's life. When she gave the things he liked a chance, she actually liked them, and he seemed like he was starting to like her.

Recalling the two beautiful kisses they'd shared made her feel so good before, now it made her feel so sad and kind of nauseous. How he could speak to her the way he had on Saturday, she had no idea. She'd been so sure he felt so much for her, just the same as she felt for him, but it was clear to her now that couldn't be true. If he liked her at all, he couldn't treat her the way he had.

With a sigh, Jackie looked at her reflection in the mirror above the basins in the girls bathroom. She managed half a smile as she remembered being here before, with Steven, on Prom night. He'd called her beautiful, he'd said she was strong, and he'd liked her for being that way, she was sure.

"This isn't over" she said, realising suddenly that it really didn't have to be.

Maybe she hadn't been wrong about Steven liking her before. He'd respected her when she was being tough, when she was putting Michael down, and being strong. Just as soon as she'd given into her feelings, let her guard down and showed him what she felt, that was when he pulled away, when he yelled at her and insulted her.

"I have to try harder" she told herself, wiping away one stray tear that had escaped down her cheek, "Watch out, Steven Hyde" she said, tilting her chin, "I'm not done with you yet"

* * *

"Hey, you listenin' to me, lame-brain!" Chrissy called across the bed, simultaneously flicking the butt of a spent cigarette at Hyde - it bounced off his shoulder and yet only just managed to catch his attention.

"Er, yeah, sure" he said, turning to look at her properly, "What did you say?" he asked, realising he hadn't heard anything she'd said in quite a while.

Of all the stupid things, Hyde's mind was wandering to Jackie. Here he was in a motel room with a hot punk chick, and all he could think about was some annoying, straight-laced, overly peppy cheerleader he was supposed to hate. He talked the talk real well when it came to hating Jackie, if only he really felt the way he said he did, it would all work out perfectly. As it was, Hyde was feeling an emotion he wasn't entirely used to, that nasty, gut-wrenching, nausea-inducing feeling that they called guilt. He hadn't experienced it much, he really hadn't had the need to. For years he was the kid that got screwed over, not the guy that messed with others. Later when he learnt to hurt people before they hurt him first, guilt was never a factor. The world deserved to suffer his wrath like he had suffered, but now it was different, Jackie was different.

Never had there been a girl so sweet and innocent in Hyde's life. Sure, she was capable of being a bitch, but every girl was, and half the time he doubted she even realised she was doing it. It was becoming pretty obvious that she liked him, more than liked him, and yet something had made him tell her to get lost just as soon as she started being nice to him. The past couple of weeks she'd been standing up for herself, being tough, and having a spine, he'd come to respect her. Now suddenly she was back to that stupid girly girl that fawned over Kelso for too long. It bugged Hyde to see her that way, and if he were honest with himself at least, it scared the living crap out of him to realise she felt that strongly about him, when he himself was fighting the fact he might have similar feelings about her.

"Whatever" Chrissy rolled her eyes, as Hyde zoned out on her again, "I'm bored with talkin' anyway" she said, with a look in her eyes that almost completely passed him by as he re-focused on her just enough to remember where the hell he was.

Sure they'd been smoking here, but he was never this out of it, at least not until Saturday when he'd yelled at Jackie, most likely making her cry again. Everything reminded him of her lately, and every reminder was laced with guilt.

"Y'know, if you really wanna hit back at the establishment..." Chrissy smiled, "Has it occurred to you that we're on a bed?" she asked, and Hyde caught the look this time, he wasn't so blind he was going to miss an offer twice.

"See, the establishment doesn't want us having sex because they know it makes us feel good, right?" Chrissy explained, "So, if we can feel good on our own, what do we need the establishment for? So every time we have sex, it's a huge protest!" she enthused, and Hyde knew he'd be crazy to turn her down.

Here was a girl that was everything he should want. She was dark, obnoxious, dangerously paranoid, she should be perfect, but all he could think about as they leaned in to kiss each other was how perfect she really wasn't.

When the only perfect girl he knew had kissed him he actually felt something, something better than this, and although he knew he was turning into a chick just thinking it, Hyde knew making out or even having sex with Chrissy was not going to cut it. He was falling for Jackie Burkhart, and as much as he hated knowing that fact, it was impossible to change. Yelling at her, blaming her for all this, it had done no good. Avoiding her hadn't helped either, and now he just felt that guilt rising again, like bile in his throat.

"Er, no" Hyde said suddenly pulling away from Chrissy, "No, I... I'm not really in a protesting mood, y'know?" he said awkwardly as he got to his feet.

"What the hell, man?" she said as she got up too, "I thought you were cool, I thought we were like the same"

"So did I" he shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

As much as Jackie had changed these past few days, Hyde was starting to realise maybe he had too, or maybe they'd both just tapped into the true people that lurked behind the facade of the rich bitch and the Zen master.

"I gotta go" he said suddenly turning for the door, "It's been fun" he called over his shoulder not even bothering to look back as he headed off down the street, unsure as to where exactly he was going. He needed to get his head straight, and there was only one thing that could help him with that. Without another thought he crossed the street and made his way to the Forman house.

* * *

"Hey, Forman, man!" Hyde called as he came into the basement, hoping to find his friends there, all ready for a Circle.

Right now he needed to be with the guys, talk through some stuff, get seriously relaxed. Unfortunately, the basement contained only two people; one a fiery red head and the other her scrawny neighbour boy, the former of which was extremely pissed at Hyde.

"Oh look, here he is, the jerk himself!" she yelled, leaping up from the couch and getting right in his face, "Who do you think you are, Hyde? Who?"

"Okay, did you guys start the Circle without me or...?" Hyde asked, not really sure what to say, "What the hell is she talking about, man?" he asked Eric, who shrugged non-commitally from his place on the couch.

"I'm talking about you, _man_!" Donna told him with a sarcastic lilt as she poked him in the chest with her finger, "I'm talking about you being a total dillhole, and messing Jackie around"

"Hang on a second" Eric said suddenly, daring to interrupt, "This is about Jackie?" he checked, looking confused.

He knew Donna was mad at Hyde for something. She'd burst into the basement just moments before he'd arrived, ranting and raving like a mad person about how their old friend was going to get a piece of her mind for what he'd done. She had never really specified his crime, and Eric had not dared to ask as she yelled and waved her arms in emphatic gestures, looking like a woman possessed.

"Me mess her around?" Hyde yelled back at the red-head, "You got the wrong person in the dock, Pinciotti!" he challenged her, "Your little cheerleader friend has been messing with my head this whole time" he gestured wildly, "It's like she's trying to put some stupid spell on me, just like she did with Kelso, making me think about her, and feel bad for her, and stuff"

"She's not doing anything, you idiot!" Donna shook her head, "All she's guilty of is liking you!"

"Wait a second" Eric shook his head, still looking baffled, "Jackie likes Hyde?"

He was completely ignored of course, as his two friends continued to argue. Every moment this went on it seemed more and more likely that the battle of words would turn into some kind of fist fight...

In the blue corner, the fiery girl next door, with principles and feminist opinions that would scare the pants off the toughest of guys.

In the red corner, the anti-establishment rebel, with an answer for everything and a conspiracy theory to go along with.

Eric watched the two fight back and forth like a game of Pong, unable to interject since he still wasn't totally sure what was going on or who he agreed with. Loyalty to his girlfriend dictated he should back Donna, but that seemed to mean he'd be on Jackie's side too. Siding with Hyde would put him on the manly side of the fight, but could damage his potential of getting some any time soon...

"I don't want Jackie to like me!" Hyde yelled, "I never asked for that. I did her a favour and took her to Prom is all, that doesn't have to mean anything" he said, walking past Donna towards the freezer, but she wouldn't let him go, grabbing at his arm and pulling him back.

"It meant something to Jackie!" she protested, "And even if it didn't, it sure meant something when you kissed her!"

"Eew, you kissed her?" Eric cut in there, only to be glared at by his fiend.

"I didn't kiss her" Hyde told him, then Donna, "I didn't kiss her, she kissed me, and okay, so maybe I didn't push her off fast enough or whatever, but that is not a crime"

"That is true" his friend nodded from the couch, "but still, kissing Jackie? That is gross, man"

"Shut up, Eric!" his friends chorused, before going back to their fight.

"Don't you understand that Jackie is really upset because of the way you treated her?" Donna shook her head, "Hyde, she thinks you like her, and I know Jackie can be pretty intense and she gets carried away, but you had to know she felt that way"

"Maybe" her friend agreed, "but I don't have to like her just cos she likes me, man, that's crazy"

"Nobody says you have to like her, Hyde" Donna agreed, her tone a little more reasonable now, "but you could've let her down easy, instead of yelling at her like you did, you dillhole!"

"Whatever, man" Hyde shook her head, "If I wanted to get a lecture and be yelled at, I'd've gone home to my Mom's house" he said, sitting down with a thud in his chair and running a hand over his face.

It was reminder enough for Donna that he was without his glasses, and that she held the present from Jackie still in her pocket.

"Fine" she said with a sigh, "I said what I had to say, now we'll go" she told him, picking up her jacket and encouraging Eric to get to his feet too, "I guess you should have this" she said finally before they went out of the door, as she laid the box on the table, "It's from Jackie, even if you don't really deserve it"

Eric followed his girlfriend out of the door, asking her to please explain what the hell just happened, as Hyde looked around the empty basement he'd been left in. His eyes eventually landed back on the box Donna had left behind, the one that apparently contained a gift from Jackie to himself.

For a few moments he considered just throwing the box in the trash, or maybe leaving it there on the table where Eric or Red or somebody else would find it. To accept a gift from Jackie was to accept she liked him and be okay with that, when really he wasn't, at least he didn't think he was...

Hyde shut his eyes and cursed to himself. This was why he'd wanted to come here and clear his head, a Circle with the guys would have straghtened everything out, he was sure, but instead it seemed he'd cut short his time with Chrissy for the sake of a lecture, and a gift from the very girl who had plagued his thoughts to the point where he even turned down trouble-free sex with a woman who would've been perfect to him just a few short weeks ago.

With a sigh, Hyde got up from his seat and edged towards the table, finally taking the box in his hands and studying it a moment. Flinching slightly as he lifted the lid, almost as if he expected a bomb to explode in his face, Hyde found a smile came to his lips when he saw how thoughtful this gift really was.

"Thanks, Jackie" he said pointlessly in a quiet tone, as he pulled the tinted glasses from the box and placed them on his face.

If she wanted him to feel guilty, she'd certainly succeeded, but what made Hyde feel the weirdest combination of happy and awful was knowing she'd never intended to make him feel bad at all. Jackie had bought these glasses to please him, she'd done everything to please him, he realised as he sunk back onto the couch, mind replaying so many events of the past few weeks. Everything to please him, whilst he'd kept her at arms length, constantly pushing her away. He was an idiot, a jerk, and a dillhole. All those things Donna had said to him were true, but what he was supposed to do about it now, Hyde really wasn't so sure.

_To Be Continued..._


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N : Your comments make me happy. Happiness makes me want to write. Hopefully, my writing makes you happy too ;-)**_**  
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 8

Hyde was sitting in his usual chair, feet up on the table, with an empty box in his hands when Kelso and Fez arrived, with Eric in tow who they'd met on the driveway. They found their friend staring at said empty box, almost looking angry at the poor innocent container.

"Here you are!" Fez exclaimed, as he parked himself on the couch next to his friend, "We thought for certain you'd been killed by the crazy lady from The Hub" he said dramatically, as Kelso grinned.

"Yeah, Fez told me about the punk chick, man" he giggled like an idiot, "So, what happened, Hyde? Did you two do it, or what?"

"Kelso, man, why do you always think everything is about doing it?" Hyde wanted to know as he forced the box that was causing so much contemplation into his jacket pocket.

"Cos everything is about doing it!" Kelso told him, in a tone that suggested he thought Hyde was stupid, "I mean come on, who would turn down any chance to do it?" he challenged the guys.

Hyde almost physically winced at the question, though thankfully now he could hide behind tinted glass once again, nobody seemed to notice his reaction. He'd done what Kelso never would, what no other guy his age with half a brain would do, he'd been offered sex, and he'd walked away. He had to be going crazy, man, but that wasn't his fault. Surely it was Jackie's fault, or so he'd like to think, but it was becoming clear that things couldn't be simplified so easily.

"I know I would not ever say no to doing it" Fez sighed heavily, "I am so sure that I would be good at it too, but there is no whore for Fez to love"

"Hey, it is not even that simple" Eric told him with a shake of his head as he put his foot in the couch and sat down on the back, "Me and Donna, we were getting real close, I finally thought maybe I wouldn't have to be a virgin anymore and then Hyde swoops in and just screws it all up!" he yelled suddenly and somewhat hysterically, waving an arm at his so-called friend, "Yeah, by the way, thanks a lot, man!" he said sarcastically.

"Hey, I didn't ask to get yelled at for something I didn't do, man!" Hyde protested, "Just cos your chick is into all that feminist crap it is not my fault!"

"How come Donna yelled at Hyde?" Kelso wanted to know as he got a popsicle from the freezer and crossed the room again to sit down on the available chair, apparently finding the concept of Hyde getting yelled at by a girl highly amusing.

"Oh, right" Eric snapped his fingers like he's just found the reason for living, "Kelso doesn't know about you and Jackie being lovers" he smirked, glad to get his own back after Hyde put Donna in a very unreceptive bad mood.

"Ugh!" the loud noise of indignation that escaped from Kelso was far too high pitched to even contemplate as he leapt up from his seat like he'd been scalded and waved his popsicle around madly like he was conducting a large orchestra, though none of the words he wanted to say seemed capable of making it out of his mouth.

"You and Jackie?" Fez gasped, "but you were with the scary punk girl" he protested, "Why is Hyde getting all the whores?" he whined.

"Look, wait a second, man" he raised his hands, half way between calming the situation and surrendering, "First off, Jackie is not a whore, but she is also in no way my lover" he explained, which made Kelso drop back into his seat at least.

"I do not understand all this" Fez shook his head, "You and Jackie hate each other"

"No they don't" Eric shook his head, the grin on his face so big that Hyde wanted to wipe it off with one big smack, "In fact, they're pretty much best friends these days. If I'm not mistaken, those very glasses were bought by the annoying little cheerleader we all love to hate"

"No way, man" Kelso shook his head, a laugh escaping him suddenly, "No, this is like a really good burn, right? You guys are messin' with me"

"Kelso, this has nothing to do with you" Hyde sighed tiredly, "Jackie and me… I guess we don't hate each other anymore is all, and maybe she thinks there's more to it than that, but there isn't" he said, though he knew he was lying.

She felt a damn sight more than friendship for him, that was becoming patently obvious, and truth be told, Hyde knew he felt almost just as deeply for her. There was no way he would give up sex with a hot easy chick for anyone, or feel this guilty about even contemplating cheating on Jackie if he didn't feel something deep for her.

"You have this all messed up, Hyde" Kelso waved his popsicle at him, "Jackie is pining over _me_" he insisted, "And if she's leaning on you a little, well, it's a rebound thing is all" he explained it away, though nobody looked overly convinced.

As crazy as it was to think that a girl like Jackie would form an attachment to a scruffy guy like Hyde was way out there, like sci-fi kind of weird, but to think she would be so lost and upset over Kelso that she'd just bounce on to the nearest guy, that was even crazier! Jackie wanted stuff because it was the best, the most expensive, the thing everybody else wanted. She wouldn't just put up with whatever was lying around for the sake of it, which made it all the more strange that she should be attracted to Steven Hyde.

"Y'know what I think?" the man in question said, suddenly realising he had upset his three friends here in the basement, "I think we could all use a little calming relaxation" he grinned.

* * *

"See, this is what I'm talking about" Hyde grinned, as smoke filled the air around his Circle of friends.

"Y'know what sucks about being a virgin, man?" Eric said suddenly from across the table, "The not having sex, that's what sucks"

"Yeah" Kelso giggled, finishing off his popsicle, and gesturing around with the wooden stick that remained, "Doing it is so great, and I've done it way more girls than any of you guys"

"That is so much crap" Hyde scoffed, "You didn't do it with anybody til Jackie, man, and now Pam. That's two women"

"It is two more women than Fez has felt the love of" the foreign kid sighed, "Hyde, do you think when you and Jackie break up you can pass her on to me?"

"For the last time, I am not with Jackie!" Hyde protested, "Although I gotta admit, she's a pretty good kisser"

"Hey, anything she knows she got from me, man" Kelso told his buddy, apparently not paying attention to the fact that he perhaps ought to be jealous or feeling dogged by Hyde kissing on Jackie, "Yeah, poor kid has downgraded since I dumped her"  
"Kelso, for the love of God" Eric groaned, "Would you get it through your fat head? Jackie dumped you!" he yelled, hands cupped around his mouth to enhance the sound.

"You must've been a bad boyfriend, Kelso" Hyde declared, shaking his head, "I keep on telling the chick to scram, but she won't leave me alone. I got some kind of magnetism, I just can't control it!" he laughed.

"Your punk girl must've found a way to leave you alone" Eric pointed out, "You sure you've got magnetism, Hyde, cos y'know maybe Jackie's just crazy" he chuckled.

"Yeah, crazy for me, man" his friend nodded, with a stupid grin on his face, "Y'know I could just snap my fingers and there she'd be"

"I wish I had this power" Fez said excitedly, closing his eyes tight and concentrating, "Bring me whores" he wished to some unknown power, before snapping his fingers.

He looked so disappointed when he opened his eyes and found no women had appeared in the space around him; his friends could only laugh.

* * *

"Okay, honey. No, that's fine" Kitty said into the phone receiver, "We'll see you right after school" she nodded, before saying goodbye and hanging up.

"That was Donna's little friend Jackie on the phone" she told her husband, as Red glanced up from his newspaper, "She has a Home Economics project and she needs a little help" she explained, as she came to sit at the table.

"Now why do we always end up with all the strays in our house?" Red snapped, "Don't they have their own homes to go to, and their own mothers who can help them with their homework?" he checked.

"Red, you know what Pam Burkhart can be like" she shook her head, as she went back to her task of cutting coupons from a magazine, "It's either work, work, work with no time for anybody, or when she gets into some trouble or other it's…" she mimed taking a long drink from some invisible receptacle or other and then half-collapsing onto the table.

"Well, then, I guess Jackie can come here to… do whatever it is she needs help with" Red sighed, before going back to his newspaper.

"I really don't know why she should have any trouble with the assignment" Kitty shook her head, "It's only baking a pie, and she's a smart girl..."

"She has some manners at least" Red nodded, "and she knows how to hold a flashlight, that's more than Eric ever mastered, so she must be smarter than the kids that usually hang around this place, eating us out of house and home, watching my TV, and bugging the hell out of us"

"Oh Red" Kitty sighed, "You know you don't really mind having the kids around, and y'know" she said, leaning forward and dropping her voice to a whisper, "I think maybe Jackie only comes around here so much lately to be near Steven"

"He is here a lot lately" Red shook his head, finally putting his paper down, "Not that I'm surprised. Would you want to be in a house with Edna?" he said, with a violent shudder that almost shook the table.

"That's true" his wife nodded, "I really think Jackie would be good for Steven, show him that not all women are like his mother" she whispered, as if she were saying something scandalous, "Well, gosh darn it, you can practically just see her turning into such a nice young lady" she smiled sadly, wishing the same could be said for her own daughter who was most definitely not at all a lady in any way.

"Y'know you're right, Kitty" her husband agreed with her, a minor miracle in itself most of the time, "Steven needs a girl on his life, someone to clean him up, and keep him in line"

"Well, I think maybe Jackie could use a young man like Steven too" his wife said thoughtfully, "She needs bringing down to Earth a little bit" she nodded, "Oh, Red, isn't young love just wonderful" she said with a dreamy sigh, no longer concentrating on what she was doing but staring across the table at her husband, "Do you remember when we were courting?"

"Sure I do" Red nodded, "You were the prettiest little thing I'd ever seen" he told Kitty with a smile, reaching cross the table to take her hand in his, "And that never changed"

"Aaw, Red" she smiled, before her expression turned more serious, and her look was reflected on her husbands face.

They were both up from their seats and running for the stairs in seconds, hand in hand.

_To Be Continued...  
_


	9. Chapter 9

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 9

"Hi, Mrs Forman" Jackie called from the door as she entered the house from the driveway.

"Well, hello there, Jackie" the kindly mother of her friend smiled as she ushered the girl into the kitchen, "Did you have a nice day at school, sweetheart?" she checked.

"I guess so" Jackie shrugged her little shoulders, "I was going to come straight here after but I decided I should maybe go home and change first" she said, smoothing out her outfit.

"Well, you certainly look very classy in your pretty dress" Kitty nodded, "Although you might be just a little over-dressed for baking" she laughed loudly.

"Oh I… I wasn't really thinking about the baking" Jackie admitted, "Mrs Forman, can you keep a secret?" she said, looking around to make sure they were really alone.

"Of course, dear" Kitty agreed, as they both leaned in, and Jackie whispered what she had to share.

"I got dressed up for Steven" she admitted, "I thought he might be here and… oh, Mrs Forman, I just really want him to admit he likes me"

"Well, I'm sure he likes you, Jackie" the older woman assured her with a nod, "Who couldn't like you?" she said, knowing very well of various reasons why some men might not.

After all, Jackie could be somewhat bossy and mean, or so she'd heard through Eric and Michael. At least the girl spoke her mind, and that wasn't a bad character trait really.

"Now, why don't we start making this pie?" Kitty suggested, as she moved to get out flour and other ingredients they would need, "Y'know, honey, they say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach" she told the girl, "Maybe if you bake a real nice pie, Steven will be impressed"

"Maybe" Jackie nodded, though she had different ideas on how to get Hyde's attention.

He'd liked her well enough before when she was being strong and forthright, it was only when she'd turned needy and clingy that he seemed to back away, but Jackie had a few tricks up her sleeve that Steven maybe wasn't banking on. He thought she was so simple and stupid, some kind of airhead cheerleader that was no match for him, well, she was going to prove him wrong. He had to like her, Jackie was quite determined on that, and when Jackie Burkhart set her mind to something – watch out world!

* * *

"Y'know Donna won't come over here because she knows you're hanging out" Eric complained to Hyde as they sat in the basement together, "This is not good for my plans to be… a man" he said dramatically, his meaning overly clear.

"Forman, it's gonna take more than one night with Donna to make you a man" Hyde smirked, before turning his attention back to the TV.

"Yeah, well" Eric snapped back, "Just… shut up, Hyde!" he said lamely, "This whole thing started just because you like Jackie and…"

"I do not like Jackie, man!" his friend protested, "Okay, so she can kiss, and she's cute when she's not bitching about something, and I guess we like some of the same stuff, but I do not like her" he said firmly, in spite of all the exceptions he'd just made to that very fact.

"Look, Hyde" Eric sighed, "I know I gave you a hard time about getting close to her, but you two might actually work and..."

"Are you kidding me, Forman? That's crazy!" Hyde exploded, "I can't like her, because I don't like her. Seriously, Forman, if I like her, shoot me!" he declared.

"Ka-pow!" Eric over-acted shooting Hyde with his hands held in a gun shape, almost falling over the back of the couch as he did so.

Hyde stared at him for a moment. Even Forman had figured out there was more to this than he was saying. He hated that, he hated the fact that everybody, including himself, knew he should be with Jackie. She knew it too, he was the only one denying it and stopping it from happening.

As sick as it made Eric feel initially, it was Donna going on and on about Jackie and Hyde all day at school today that finally made him realise how well things might work out between them. Sure they seemed like complete opposites, but everybody knew that opposites attract. Besides, just about the only people that stood a chance of keeping Hyde and Jackie in line were each other!

"If this blows up in my face, Forman" Hyde pointed a finger at his friend as he got up from his seat, "I'm blaming you, got it?"

Eric barely got a chance to nod his head in response before Hyde was gone from his sight, up the stairs to the kitchen. Checking his watch, the young Forman smiled. Now he could get Donna over here for some make out fun. For that reason alone it was worth convincing Hyde to go talk to Jackie!

* * *

"Now, you just keep mixing up that filling, Jackie, and I'll be right back" Kitty said, as she slipped through to the living room.

Jackie had no idea that Mrs Forman had no reason to leave the room at all, only she'd been standing quite near to the basement door, and overheard the raised voices of her son and Steven. She knew he was on his way up here, and if they were ever going to work things out, alone time was going to be the best way. It was fun playing matchmaker Kitty thought, as she closed the door behind herself, listening a moment before moving away.

In the kitchen, Jackie spun around fast when she heard someone approach from behind her, and forced down a joyful smile when she saw it was Hyde.

"Hey, Jackie" he said, looking weirdly nervous, which thrilled her as she went back to her mixing, putting her back to him.

"Hello, Hyde" she said, emphasising his last name, since he'd made such a big deal of her not calling him Steven.

This was all part of the plan, she just had to hold out as long as possible…

"So, Home Ec project, right?" he said, for the sake of making any kind of conversation, but Jackie was weirdly not forthcoming as she gave a simple 'yes' in response, and continued with what she was doing without even sparing him a second glance.

Hyde considered that maybe he really had hurt her before, maybe Donna had been right. All that stuff he'd said, some of it had been pretty harsh, but that's how he'd wanted to be at the time. He felt like he needed to hurt her, to get her off his case. Now he felt far too guilty for what he'd done, he had to undo it. Of all horrible things, Hyde felt that he needed to apologise, and he had a feeling Jackie wasn't going to make it easy for him either.

"Uh, I was gonna say thanks" he said for now, figuring he'd work up to the actual apology, "Y'know for the glasses" he said, his fingers touching the frame of them as he spoke.

"That's cool" Jackie shrugged a shoulder, still hardly looking at him as she over-stirred the contents of the bowl before her.

She didn't need to carry on, she should just stop and wait for Mrs Forman to return, but she continued to beat at the pie filling, knowing if she didn't she would have to face Steven, and she knew her resolve to be cool and calm would abandon her if she had to look him in the eye. He was fine, he could hide his emotions behind his stupid glasses, she wasn't so lucky. Jackie then began to curse herself for replacing those shades so soon.

"Hey, Jackie, I..." Hyde began, hand reaching out to her shoulder, then dropping back by his side, "I kinda need to talk to you" he said, and fighting the excitement that rose within her, she continued to ignore him, "Look, will you just stop stirring for five seconds?" he urged her, his hand reaching her shoulder this time and startling her.

Jackie spun round so fast, it was lucky she didn't drop the bowl she held in her arm. As it was she just splattered the counter a little, as well as Hyde's shoes.

"Great" he sighed, looking around for a cloth or something to wipe them clean with.

"It's your own stupid fault, Steven" Jackie snapped, "You scared me" she told him, sounding annoyed, half-expecting him to be just as mad at her for using has first name again, but he didn't say a word about it as he cleaned up his shoes and then faced her.

"Yeah, well, I'm scaring me too" he admitted, "Scares the crap out of me that I'm standing here actually wanting to apologise to you" he declared, throwing the dish towel from his hand over by the sink a little more violently than was really necessary.

"You want to apologise?" Jackie gasped, eyes going wide for a second, before the ice queen look that she did so well settled back onto her features, "Apologise for what?" she asked, as if she didn't know.

"For all that stuff I said to you, man" Hyde told her, knowing she was patently aware.

She probably just wanted him to say it, make him feel as bad as possible by forcing him to admit to his crime as well as repent for it. For what it was worth, he'd do it, however much he hated it.

"What stuff?" she urged him on, as she turned back to the counter, and put the bowl back on it, staring down into the contents for no real reason other than it was somewhere else to look.

"You know what I'm sayin', Jackie" Hyde complained, shoving his hands in his pockets, "You know, and you're just trying to make me say it so I feel worse" he shook his head, "Well, forget it, I don't feel that bad about it, I don't care that much, and whatever Forman or his Mom thinks, I don't..."

"Aargh!" a loud yelp from Jackie interrupted his impassioned speech, as she appeared to catch her hand on the hot oven door, burning her fingers.

Holding herself by the wrist with her uninjured hand, Jackie had tears in her eyes and pain written on her face. Hyde reacted without thinking, grabbing a hold of her, pushing her over to the sink, spinning the faucet on, and shoving her hand under the running water.

Jackie shivered a little, partly from the cold water on her skin, mostly because Hyde was pressed up against her back, forcing her against the counter. His hand gripped hers, holding what should be the burnt part under the faucet. She turned a little in his arms, her face almost too close to him for her to breathe, but she managed somehow.

"You okay?" he checked, voice coming out too softly for his liking, but there didn't seem to be much he could do about it.

"Uh-huh" she nodded, "The oven isn't actually on..." she admitted, and watched several emotions cross his face.

Hyde would be mad at her, she knew that, he might also be a little proud of her for being so devious, but apparently he was letting the mad part over-ride the other.

"You..." he started, clearly going to explode with anger, when Jackie shook her head and put her finger to his lips.

"Now tell me you don't care about me" she challenged, knowing she'd just proved without a shadow of doubt that he did.

Hyde glanced around the kitchen, brain recounting what had happened here, what he'd done. When his eyes landed back on hers he knew he'd lost this round at least.

"Damn it" he cursed, "I do care" he admitted, as his lips descended on hers, and he kissed her deeply.

_To Be Continued..._


	10. Chapter 10

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 10

"So, buddy" Eric asked as he heard his friend coming down the stairs, "How'd it go with the bitch... Mom!" he yelled suddenly when he actually tore his eyes away from the TV and turned around, only to realise it wasn't Hyde coming down the basement stairs at all but his mother.

"Oh, Eric!" Kitty giggled, clapping her hands and practically bouncing up and down, "I just left the room for a minute but that was all it took!" she grinned, "Jackie and Steven, they are just so darn cute together, and I knew it"

"So they're talking and actually getting along?" Eric checked.

"Well, they were talking, now they're... they're getting acquainted" she said with a look, and Eric's stomach turned over.

The idea of Hyde and Jackie making out, which he assumed was what his mother meant, it made him feel a little queasy. Of course it could be worse. Fez's brief description of a fantasy he'd had about Big Rhonda, now that had been way worse, but this was still decidedly unsettling.

"Mom, shouldn't you get up there and, y'know, break them up?" Eric suggested after a moment, "I mean, Dad will be home soon and..."

"What the hell are you people doing in my kitchen?!" the booming voice of Red Forman echoed down from above, and Kitty and Eric ran one behind the other, back up the stairs.

"Red, Red, now calm down!" his wife insisted, as she arrived in the room.

"No, damn it, Kitty, I'm pissed!" he said, slamming the newspaper down on the counter, "I do not expect to come home after a long day and find some random kids using my kitchen like their own private..."

"Inspiration Point?" Eric suggested, really wishing he hadn't attracted his father's attention at that particular moment.

It had been much better when Red was just yelling at Hyde and Jackie. Why he'd felt the need to jump in, Eric had no idea, and quickly moved to stand behind Kitty, hoping his father would forget he was ever there.

"Look, we're sorry, Red" Hyde told him, "We just..."

"We just forgot where we were" Jackie said for him, loving that in spite of the sudden audience, Steven still had his arm around her shoulders, as she kept her own around his waist.

The smile on Jackie's face just wouldn't shift, and she didn't want it too. All this had gone even better than she ever could've planned. Not only was Steven willing to admit that he cared, but he'd kissed her like she'd never been kissed before, made her feel things she never knew she could feel from a single kiss. He really liked her, she really liked him, it was all working out pretty much perfectly today, and the best part was, it didn't seem like he was about to deny what they had or run away from her. That was her real fear, if she was willing to admit to having any. They'd kissed before, he'd been nice to her before, but never in front of anybody else, and it almost always ended with him regretting any good feeling towards her. Maybe not this time, it seemed not so far, and Jackie was elated.

"Now, come on into the living room, Red, and I'll fix you a drink" his wife urged him, pulling him by the sleeve til she'd got him into the next room.

He went without too much protest, but he glared at the kids in his kitchen til the door finally blocked his view.

"Okay, that was a little embarrassing" Jackie admitted.

"Really?" Eric checked, "Cos personally I just thought it was funny" he chuckled, until the pair turned and glared at him in stereo, "Hey, do not look at me in that tone of voice!" he complained, before disappearing through the sliding door.

"Sometimes he is such a freak" Jackie shook her head, laughing lightly at the boy's antics.

"I heard that!" he called from the driveway, before continuing to walk away.

"At least he can go fix things with Donna now" Hyde pointed out, "Maybe she'll be in a more 'giving' mood now she knows I... used the dreaded S word" he physically shuddered when he said it and Jackie look oddly at him, "Sorry. The S word is sorry" he explained and she nodded her head.

"I knew that" she lied, and he knew it too.

"Yeah, sure you did" he smirked, and she glared daggers at him.

"Steven" she snapped, startling him a little, before the smile found it's way back onto her face, "Shut up and kiss me"

"Yes, dear" Hyde agreed, as he did just that.

Jackie was loving this, not just having Steven here kissing her, not just knowing that he really cared about her, not even just the fact she had some power over him now. What Jackie loved most was the woman she was becoming, the woman she was pretty sure Steven Hyde was falling for.

With Michael, she realised, she'd played it all wrong, she'd tried controlling him but she was mostly too soft with him and he walked all over her. Steven had shown her how to have some spine, how to be strong and stand up and fight when she wanted something, and yet also to tone down some of her bitchiness and be a little more open to understanding other people. He probably didn't even know he'd done it, but he had, and for that Jackie was grateful. Poor guy had no idea he'd gone and taught her exactly what to do in order to get him to like her.

"Y'know what, Steven Hyde?" she said between kisses, "I think you might just be stuck with me now"

"Wanna know the really scary part?" he asked her, though he wasn't really looking for her to venture an answer, "That actually sounds cool" he admitted with a smile, before resuming kissing her.

* * *

"Donna?" Eric called, as he tapped tentatively on her bedroom door, and pushed it slightly open.

"Eric, you're supposed to wait til I say come in when you knock!" she yelled, "Not just come barging in because you want to"

Eric winced at her tone, and apologised immediately for the simple act that was today a heinous crime just because he was a guy and Donna was in one of her feminist snits. Of course, he could probably fix that by telling her Hyde had done the right thing with Jackie, and by agreeing with her whilst she rammed home the point that all men are jerks. Then maybe, just maybe, he'd get some touch tonight!

"So, I thought maybe you'd like to know" he said, coming to sit beside her on the bed, "Hyde made up with Jackie"

"Made up?" Donna checked, "You mean he actually stopped being a dillhole for five seconds and apologised to her?"

"Yeah" Eric nodded, "There were apologies and then something disturbing with tongues and..." he shuddered, "I really can't talk about this" he shook his head violently, looking quite green.

"Oh my God" Donna smiled, "They actually figured everything out? That's awesome"

"I guess" Eric agreed, "It's all good... if it puts you in a better mood" he muttered the last part, though the red-head still heard him and glared a little, "Did I mention that I love you?" he said with a nervous smile, "Especially when you're fighting for what you believe in" he added, pointing a finger emphatically.

"So" Donna smiled at his efforts to please her, as she came to stand in front of him, "What was this thing you were telling me about, with tongues?" she asked with a look in her eye that pleased Eric to no end, as he threw himself at her and they landed in a haphazard pile of limbs on the bed, kissing like it was going out of style.

It was only two days since the ice queen thing had kicked in, and yet Eric had missed this. He was seventeen years old and male, making out was what he lived for, at least until Donna decided to give it up so he could stop being a virgin. That was going to be the greatest of days, even better than seeing Star Wars, Eric was sure.

* * *

"Hey, Forman" Hyde smirked as he met his friend on the driveway a while later, "Looks like a certain hot redhead was feeling a little more giving towards her scrawny neighbour boy, huh?"

"Oh, man" Eric grinned, "Could you and Jackie maybe split up and get back together a few more times?" he asked, "Cos I'm tellin' you, man, it puts Donna in a good mood when things go her way!" he said, with huge amounts of joy that made Hyde chuckle.

"Yeah" he nodded, "Given the nature of this twisted thing between me and Jackie, I'd say the odds are pretty good for a couple of fights per day on average" he said, hands in his pockets as he shrugged, "But hey, what can you do?"

"Did you two already break up?" Eric frowned as he glanced between his friend and the patio doors into the kitchen to see Jackie all alone, "Because, my God, that has to be the fastest turn around ever"

"No, man, she just has to finish her Home Ec project is all" Hyde explained, "Could take a while too, since I just heard her ask Mrs Forman 'Which one is the flour again?'" he faked a high-pitched girly voice and Eric laughed.

"So, you waiting around for Jackie or..." the boy started to ask, but Hyde quickly shook his head.

"No way, Forman" he said firmly, "I mean, I'll admit I like the girl and everything, however weird that sounds, but I don't want to be Kelso, man, waiting around for her and doing everything she asks" he gestured, "There is only one boss of me, and that's me" he said.

"Oh yeah, me too" Eric agreed, making Hyde chuckle as he walked away.

"Yeah, if your name was Donna" he laughed as he disappeared off the drive and out of sight.

"Whatever, Hyde!" Eric called after him, walking backwards to the door, and letting himself in, "At least I'm not dating... a wonderful girl like Jackie" he said with a big smile as he remembered she was right there standing in her kitchen, "Because I'm just not good enough for a girl like that" he said, with a snap of his fingers, "Darn the luck"

"That's sweet, Eric" Jackie nodded, looking both amused and confused at the same time, "But you're right, you and Donna are much better suited. You've both kept your standards low, and it's all worked out for you" she smiled, really not knowing that what she said might be insulting.

Eric didn't say a word, just headed back down to the basement, intending to stay there til he was sure Jackie was gone. It was crazy to think she was Hyde's new chick, but less so when she burned him like she just had. Maybe she didn't do it as deliberately as her boyfriend but it all had the same effect, Eric mused, as he flipped on the TV and laid down on the couch. Hyde was a boyfriend, and Jackie was his girlfriend, the whole thing messed with Eric's head way more than any amount of time in The Circle ever had. As he lay there thinking about it all, sleep overtook him, and the most horrendous of dreams set in...

Eric looked over at the door as it swung open and Jackie swept in wearing a glamorous ball gown, her hair piled up on her head, and a corsage at her wrist.

"Wow, Jackie, you look... fancy" he said, for a lack of a better word.

"I know" she agreed, patting her hair, "but wait until you see my escort" she grinned, arms making a flourish of movement towards the door as it swung open once again and in walked Hyde in a tuxedo, complete with bow-tie, his hair cut short and sensible, and shiny shoes on his feet.

"Woah, Hyde, man" Eric shook his head, "What the hell happened to you?"

"I changed for my lady" he said, in a tone that was far too proper, as he took hold of Jackie's hand, "I have given up all kinds of smoking and any kind of fun in my life"

"Isn't it wonderful" Jackie beamed, as she leaned in to kiss her man, the couple getting far too into the moment for Eric's liking.

With a scream he woke up, sitting bolt upright on the couch, feeling nauseous.

"No, no, you can't do that to my friend, Jackie!" he was yelling, when thundering feet on the stairs caught his attention.

"What did you say to me?" asked the very girl he'd been yelling about, only she looked so different to the unicorn loving, pretty in pink, girly girl that he was used to.

Now dressed in denim and leather, punk-rock Jackie stomped down the stairs and stood before Eric with her hands on her hips, waiting for an answer to her earlier question.

"Dear God" Forman swallowed hard, vaguely wondering how Jackie suddenly looked kind of hot in tight jeans and a leather jacket.

"Hey, Forman!" Hyde caught his attention as he came in the back door, "You checking out my chick, man?" he checked angrily, as he came to put a territorial arm around her.

"If I thought he was" Jackie told her boyfriend, "I'd kick his ass so hard he'd cough it up" she said, with a wicked glint in her eye.

"Isn't she great?" Hyde smirked, before kissing his girlfriend soundly on the lips.

This time when Eric began to scream, he woke up for real and was glad to do so. Hyde turning into a male Jackie, or her turning into a female Hyde. Neither was overly appealing, though the latter would be favourable.

Either way, it seemed he was going to have to get used to the situation, as was Kelso and Fez, who would both no doubt be jealous of Hyde having Jackie with him now. Eric just thanked the forces above that he had Donna, and asked them as desperately as any seventeen year old virgin could, that one day she might just, as Kelso so eloquently put it, do it with him, before something vital decided to fall off from lack of use!

_To Be Continued...  
_


	11. Chapter 11

A/N : Apologies for the delay and thanx for the continued support. I needed a break for a few days there, but now I'm back and all ready with a new update for you wonderful reader types. Enjoy :-)  
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 11

* * *

Thursday Night

Formans' Basement

* * *

This was what Hyde liked best about his relationship with Jackie; the making out. At least, that's what he told the guys in The Circle or when the girls just weren't around. The truth was he was starting to find a whole lot of things to love about Jackie, though as yet the dreaded L word had not passed his lips or hers, and for that he was eternally grateful. Sometimes they talked, mostly they kissed, and when no-one else was around Hyde could get as far as second base without his girlfriend deciding they needed to stop so she could yammer about some inane topic, like nail polish or her hair.

Today it seemed, just as he was about to slide into third, Hyde was pushed away so Jackie could start up another conversation he'd rather not have, though on the upside, this one had nothing to do with hair products or clogs.

"Steven, why don't we ever go out?" she asked with a sigh, as he flopped back against the couch cushions beside her, cursing himself for not moving a little faster, "We've been dating two weeks now and we haven't actually had a date yet"

"What can we do when we're out that we can't do here?" Hyde shrugged, knowing that in fact he could do more of what he wanted to do here, than he could anywhere else.

"Steven, I need to leave the house sometimes" his girlfriend complained.

"Jackie, you did leave the house" he pointed out, putting his glasses back on since it seemed they were certainly done having fun here, "You don't live here. Hell, I don't live here" he pointed out, gesturing generally to the dim surroundings of the Formans basement.

"But I want to go out" Jackie whined, "I want you to take me somewhere so I can dress up all pretty and you can open doors for me and pull out my chair at dinner and..."

"Jackie" Hyde gave her a look, which was slightly less severe than it might have been sans tinted glass, "You do remember who you're with now, right?" he asked her, "I'm not Kelso. I don't do all this gentleman boyfriend crap, okay?"

"Fine" Jackie said grumpily, standing up fast, "If you're too embarrassed to be seen out with me, then maybe we shouldn't stay here together either, just in case somebody walks in and finds out you like me!" she said angrily as she made to storm away.

She'd got just one step past Hyde when he grabbed her and pulled her back, so she landed in his lap. He used the same trick he always did to get Jackie to shut her piehole, he kissed her til she forgot what she'd been yelling about.

"How about Saturday?" he asked her, when they parted to breathe.

"Huh?" was his girlfriend's only response, which caused him to smirk.

"You wanted a date, right?" he reminded her, knowing he probably could've deferred this a while longer, but also aware that this meant a lot to her, and despite the fact he refused to say it much, if at all, she meant an awful lot to him too, "So, how about Saturday?" he suggested, "We could, I don't know, catch a movie or something?"

"Oh, Steven, that would be wonderful" Jackie enthused, clapping her hands together like a small child, before suddenly gasping, "Oh my God, Saturday is the day after tomorrow!" she said, "I only have two days to decide what to wear!" she exclaimed, climbing off him and running for the door, with a huge silly grin on her face.

She blew a kiss to her boyfriend before finally leaving and Hyde couldn't help but smile. He had to be crazy to be dating Jackie Burkhart, to care for her the way he did. He was sure she'd be the death of him, but at least he'd go with a smile on his face.

* * *

Friday Night

Vista Cruiser

* * *

"Hey, Donna" Eric tried to get her attention, since it was becoming very obvious that she wasn't paying attention to anything he was doing with his lips or hands, "What're you thinking about?" he asked, knowing it was probably a very dangerous question leading to long talks about feelings, but as usual doing the stupid thing, as was his way.

"Hyde and Jackie" the red-head sighed, which actually made Eric laugh.

"Wow, that's... a little fruity and weird" he told her, causing his girlfriend to frog him in the arm.

"Not like that, you perv" Donna rolled her eyes, "I was just thinking how totally crazy it is that they're together, and how badly wrong it could all go tomorrow night" she admitted, "Y'know this is the most excited I've seen Jackie since that truck full of make-up broke down outside The Hub and Kelso stole every nail polish colour Revlon ever made for her"

"C'mon Donna" Eric smiled, "You were the one that said they'd be so great together" he gestured randomly with his hand, "Now two weeks later, which have gone pretty smoothly in the wacky relationship that is Jackie and Hyde, you're changing your mind about them?"

"No, I still think they could really work" his girlfriend explained, "It's just I also know it can't be as easy as that" she told him, "I mean, Hyde on a date? A real date, like Jackie is expecting? It can't end well"

"That's not true" Eric shook his head, "I mean, look at the time Hyde... or, er, when..." Eric struggled to think of his friend going on a single date that really qualified as such.

Steven Hyde had experience of women, Eric knew that for sure. He'd been the first in the gang to reach all the bases, and the first to do it. He seemed to know everything about girls, and how to deal with all kinds of relationship issues, but to Eric's recollection his good buddy had never really had a girlfriend, not even a real date.

"Oh my God" he gasped at the realisation, "Donna, you're right. How can this end well?" he said, looking almost afraid, "Jackie already caused that mess with Kelso, and if things go wrong with Hyde to. Oh, that little Yoko is gonna ruin this band!"

"Easy, Ringo" Donna laughed lightly, "First off, I said I thought the date might go badly, I never said Jackie and Hyde wouldn't stay together, and second, since when were you guys like The Beatles?"

"It's a metaphor, Donna!" her boyfriend snapped, folding his arms across his chest and looking quite the injured party.

His girlfriend felt bad for being the one to cause this semi-spat, and for not paying attention when he was kissing her earlier. They'd parked the Cruiser up here for a reason, and it'd be a shame to waste the hour they had left before curfew.

"Hey" she said, leaning in close to him, "What's the matter with you?" she asked with a playful tone, as she tickled him, "You got a headache or something?"

The stormy look on Eric's face didn't hold long as a grin broke through and the pair resumed making out, forgetting their friends' upcoming date for a while.

* * *

Saturday Night

The Hub

* * *

"I'm tellin' you, Fez, it's not going to last" Kelso shook his head, as he sat opposite his friend at the Hub on Friday night.

"I know" the foreign kid nodded, looking at his soda cup, "I am so thirsty, I just cannot put it down" he shrugged, before fastening his lips around the straw once again and sucking til the ice rattled in the bottom of the cup.

"No, man, not the soda" his friend shook his head, "I'm talkin' about Jackie and Hyde"

"Oh" Fez nodded once, "Why would they not stay together? I don't think he will cheat on her like you did"

"See, that's my point, right there" Kelso literally pointed out with his index finger, going on to explain said point when his friend looked blankly at him, "I cheated on Jackie, and she was so upset she went a little crazy, and rebounded into the very next available guy she saw - Hyde!"

"Really?" Fez gasped, looking hurt then a little angry, "Oh, why couldn't I have been the first guy she saw? Why would the sweet princess Jackie choose Hyde over Fez?"

"I dunno, man" Kelso shook his head, "Cos y'know you're a good looking guy, Fez"

"Right back at you, Kelso" his friend said automatically, before going back to feeling bad over Jackie.

She was so beautiful, she should be his, he'd been sure. Of course he had kept his distance when she was with Kelso, and finally when he thought it was his turn with the gorgeous creature that was Jackie Burkhart, Hyde swooped in and took her away! If this kind of thing continued, he would be a virgin even longer than Eric!

"See, Hyde's a nice guy and all" Kelso continued, "We've been friends a long time, and he's cool, but there's no way he compares to me when it comes to dating, especially dating a woman like Jackie"

"You don't think he will treat her well?" Fez checked, knowing Hyde could be less than friendly at times but unable to believe he would ever hurt Jackie quite like Kelso had, "I don't think he would cheat on her"

"Maybe not, Fez, but he won't have to" the taller of the two shook his head, leaning back in his chair, "Before you know it the poor girl's going to hear that I'm available again and any little thing Hyde says that makes her a little mad will be a good enough excuse to dump his sorry ass" he shook his head, "Give it a couple of weeks, she'll be desperate for an excuse to get back to her... Apollo rocket of love" he said with a look, so proud he was of his title, and having no idea that Jackie had made up any old thing to tell him that night.

Fez thought about what Kelso had just said, and though he wasn't always all that quick, he suddenly realised something.

"If you are available... did Pam Macey dump you?" he asked with a frown, wondering why any girl in their right mind with break up with a stud like Kelso.

"Did Pam dump me?" Kelso laughed as if the question were ridiculous, and his laughter continued for a full five minutes before he suddenly turned serious and nodded, "Yeah, she dumped me" he confessed, "but it's fine, I could have any woman I wanted in this town" he shrugged his shoulders, "It's just all about style, Fez, and staying cool..." he explained, as he tipped his chair back just a little too far and crashed to the ground.

"I wonder how cool Hyde is feeling right now?" Fez said to himself as he wondered about his friend and the date he was taking Jackie on.

It was strange to think of the two of them going out on a real date, it had been weird enough just seeing them be close in the basement, but now they were going on a real live date, it made everything just that little more serious...

* * *

Saturday Night

Hyde's House

* * *

"Why am I acting like a chick?" Hyde asked himself almost angrily, as he realised he was bothering to check his appearance in any reflective surface that became available from the darkened window to the back of a pan that sat on the drainer.

He was soon pacing up and down the living room, feeling ridiculously clean and over dressed compared to usual. Dating Jackie was doing weird things to him, making him want to make an effort and stuff. He didn't understand the feelings she evoked in him lately. When she'd started hanging around the basement a lot with Kelso, Jackie had just been an annoyance to Hyde. He wondered now if she'd bugged him so much because he wished she was with him and not his friend, but surely he'd been in love with Donna then? Hyde shook his head at that thought. He'd come to realise a while ago now that love wasn't quite what he felt for the red-head, after all, he'd never gone quite as nuts over her as he now was over Jackie.

Whether all this meant that Hyde had finally fallen in love, something he'd vowed never to do, Steven Hyde could not be sure. All he knew was he cared a damn lot more for Jackie than he ever had for any other girl. That was scary in itself, and what worried Hyde more was the fact he felt scared at all. It wasn't a feeling he was overly familiar with. Forman was the one that got freaked out and ran to Mommy with the tiniest of problems. Hyde figured he'd never been that way because he never really had a mother to run to.

'Case in point' he thought to himself as he glanced at the empty room, in his empty house.

Edna Hyde had gone out the night before and had yet to come home. It didn't bother Hyde much, and it certainly didn't surprise him. Sometimes she'd disappeared for a whole week, usually when that kind of thing happened she returned with a new 'uncle' for her son, though Steven had long since grown past using the term for his mother's many man-sluts and losers.

Hyde became so lost in thoughts too deep for his mind, that he completely missed Jackie's arrival at his door, until she knocked a third time and called his name.

"Hey, I was just..." he started, his sentence disappearing to nothing as he opened the door and looked at her.

"What?" Jackie frowned, wondering why he was looking at her in that weird way.

"Nothing" Hyde shrugged, stepping out of the door and closing it behind him, "You just... you look good" he settled on, knowing in his head he'd thought the word beautiful, but wouldn't let himself say it for fear of Jackie's over-reaction.

"Thank you, Steven" she smiled up at him, "You look great too", she told him, looping her arm through his and pushing herself up on her toes to kiss his cheek.

He moved as she did, turning his head so their lips met in a sweet kiss.

"Let's go paint this town red, doll" he said with a smile, taking her hand firmly in his, and she nodded and grinned in response as they walked to the car.

Whatever happened from here, Hyde figured he could deal. Tonight it mattered even less that his Mom had left him again, that his friends thought he was nuts for dating Jackie, or that he himself considered he might be losing his mind. So long as she kept smiling at him like that, Hyde was sure he'd not care about anything else tonight, nothing but Jackie. She'd put a spell on him, that was for sure, and God help him, he didn't even care.

To Be Continued...


	12. Chapter 12

A/N : Big apologies for not updating regularly lately. As much as I love this story and am really enjoying writing it, I had some problems with it for a while, plus life got really hectic, which didn't help. Hopefully you'll forgive me and leave me some nice reviews after you read this latest chapter :-)

Chapter 12

"That was awesome" Jackie enthused, as she and Hyde exited the movie theatre hand in hand.

"I didn't think you'd be so into a movie like that" he shook his head, as he looked at her, "All explosions and guns, it's not exactly a chick movie"

"Are you kidding me?" Jackie laughed, "James Bond is so hot, all British and sexy with his gadgets and his cool cars, besides I get great fashion tips from the girls too" she explained, making Hyde laugh.

Jackie was full of surprises, that was sure. He felt sure he'd made a big mistake when he offered to take her to the movie theatre, after all she was almost guaranteed to pick out some lame-ass girly movie about love and romance, or some musical extravaganza more enjoyable for Fez than a guy like Hyde. He was stunned when she'd been so into the idea of The Spy Who Loved Me, and they'd both got so into the movie that they actually bothered to watch the whole thing right through.

"I can't remember the last time I took a chick to the movies and saw the end" he said out loud, wondering why he'd let the words escape just as soon as it was too late to take them back.

"Well, maybe next time we should pick a bad movie to see" Jackie said, with a certain look in her eye that didn't go unnoticed by Hyde, as she shifted in closer to her boyfriend and encouraged his arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah, next time is cool" he nodded and smiled down at her, as they headed down the street to The Hub.

Hyde was quite relieved to find they were alone, not completely of course, since there were people in the hang out, but they had managed not to run into any of their friends so far. It wasn't that Hyde was embarrassed to be seen with Jackie, and the gang all knew the pair were dating, it had been the main topic of conversation amongst them since the day the couple were revealed to be together. Still, both Hyde and Jackie found it easier to be alone together. They could be themselves in each other's company, way better than they could in front of Eric, Donna, Kelso, and Fez.

Jackie took a seat at a table, whilst Hyde went to get a couple of sodas. She smiled as she watched him across the room, glad their date was going so well. She was used to more than this, used to dinners at fancy restaurants, and guys that showered her with gifts. Kelso hadn't exactly been Prince Charming but he was overly eager to please most of the time. The weird thing was, though Hyde was the complete opposite, somehow Jackie found she was having more fun on this date than on any she'd had before. It was all simple and probably would've seemed boring to most girls, but she was with Steven, and that was what really mattered. If she could do without the material things, the superficial stuff, Jackie knew this must be what love felt like.

As Hyde returned to the table, putting the two bottles of Coke down, and taking a seat beside his girlfriend, he was a little surprised to suddenly be grabbed by the shirt and pulled into a deep kiss.

"Huh" he said, feeling a little dazed when she let go of him, "What was that for?" he checked, as he adjusted his glasses and sat up straight.

"I don't know" Jackie shrugged, "Just, for being you" she said, with a soppy grin on her face.

Hyde wasn't really sure what to say to that, or how to react at all, so he did what he did best and let it slide on over his head. He maintained his Zen facade as he sat back in his chair and drank his soda. Jackie had no idea his brain was working a mile a minute as it often was, trying to puzzle out exactly what she'd meant by her words. She kissed him like that just for being him, what the hell that was supposed to mean he really didn't know. After all, being himself usually got him into all kinds of trouble, with his mother, with his friends, with teachers at school. With Jackie, he got kissed and smiled at and appreciated, just for being himself. It was the weirdest concept to Hyde, perhaps even weirder than the fact a guy like him was dating Miss Teen Spirit, Jackie Burkhart.

"Y'know when you get all thoughtful like that you look a little like James Bond" Jackie mused as she sat back in her seat, sucking soda from her bottle through a straw as she observed him.

"Yeah?" Hyde looked a little smug about the compliment, before asking, "Oh, okay, I get it. You're fishing for me to say you look like the girl in the movie right?"

"No!" Jackie denied it hotly, "Though it's always nice to hear that kind of thing from your supposed boyfriend, and it's not like you're not complimentary, but I..."

Her ramble was cut off my Steven's lips landing on hers as he kissed her passionately.

"You're hotter than all those Bond chicks, okay?" he told her, much to her squealing delight before they continued kissing, and hands started roaming.

"How does this always happen?" Jackie asked him when they were forced to part for air and she realised she was mostly in his lap rather than on her own seat now, "I finally convince you to take me out on a real date, and we end up doing what we do at home!" she complained, though she didn't sound too mad about it really.

"Well, one of us is obviously irristisible" Hyde told her with a wink, before resuming kissing her.

"Steven" she gasped in air a moment later, "Maybe we should, y'know, go for a drive" she suggested, and unlike Kelso he got her meaning right away - it wasn't the driving she was thinking of, it was the parking.

"Let's go, babe" Hyde nodded, as they practically ran from the hang out to the car.

* * *

As far as Hyde could tell there were absolutely no down sides to making out with Jackie in the backseat of her Dad's Lincoln. Cool car, hot woman, good times to be had by all, as far as Steven was concerned. For the first time ever, it seemed like Jackie was even going to let him get to third base and maybe even past it, but there was a price to be paid for that prize it seemed, and Hyde wasn't sure it was a price he was ready to pay.

"Steven" she said, pulling away from him for a moment and sitting up a little, "I think we should, y'know, talk about what we're doing here"

"Seriously?" Hyde frowned, "Cos I'm good with just getting to the non-talking stuff already"

"Steven!" she complained, batting his hands away from her when they approached her skin again, "I'm serious. You know how much I care about you, and how much I want to be with you" she said, too solemnly, and Hyde had an awful feeling he knew what was coming next, "I guess what I'm trying to say is... that I love you, Steven" she said with a smile, leaning in to resume kissing him.

She was a little surprised when this time it was him that backed off, pushing her away slightly.

"Huh" he said, reaching for his glasses and putting them back on his face so his eyes did not betray anything he'd rather she did not see.

Jackie loved him, and Hyde kind of knew that on some level, but now she was saying it, putting it right out there in actual words. Hyde knew what she wanted, what she expected. He was supposed to say it back, supposed to feel just like she did, or at least say so if he wanted to get any further with her tonight. It wasn't like he hadn't exaggerated his feelings a little once or twice before to make it with a chick, but this was Jackie, man, this was different. He couldn't lie to her, he knew that when he turned to face her now, and she gazed at him with hopeful and innocent wide eyes. He couldn't say he didn't love her, after all they'd come this far, and he definitely felt something scarily deep and real for her. Still, to just say it back, like it was easy to admit and simple to understand, he couldn't do that either, even if that did mean missing out on scoring tonight.

"Steven..." Jackie started to frown when she realised something was wrong.

"I should, er... I should get you home" he said, clambering out of the back seat and into the front so he could drive.

Jackie was at a loss for words just as much as he was. She'd just put her heart on her sleeve here, and Hyde's whole reaction had been an odd look and no real verbal reaction at all. Which way was the right way to take his behaviour was anybody's guess, and the only person Jackie could ever turn to with her problems was him. There was Donna of course, but they weren't exactly best friends, and it wasn't as if the red-head had much boy or love experience to draw on.

With a sigh, Jackie moved into the front passenger seat next to Hyde and he drove her home in silence. Tonight had started out so promisingly and yet ended so abruptly. Neither knew where they went from here, and the frustration of the whole thing led to Hyde stalking into his empty house, slamming the door so hard that it nearly snapped of it's hinges.

He'd made the poor kid fall in love with him, and he couldn't even figure out if he felt the same, if he was even capable of such a feeling. He needed a beer, and possibly something to relax him even further than the alcohol would. When he'd cleared his head and got some sleep, maybe he'd wake up to a world that made sense again, but he doubted it.

* * *

The Aston Martin sped down the open mountain road, the man in the front seat in perfect control as he came to a sudden halt when he spotted what appeared to be a poor defensless girl being attacked by a large man with metal teeth.

Though the man in the sharp suit reached for some kind of weapon, to save the damsel in distress, his assistance wasn't required. The young woman soon had her aggressor on his back and unconscious from a series of punches and kicks.

"Hey, you need a ride someplace?"

She turned as she heard someone speak and looked warily at the guy leaning on his car behind her.

"Who are you?" she checked.

"Name's Hyde, Steven Hyde" he told her with a wink, "License the thrill"  
With a smile, the young woman came forward and joined him in the car, and they were soon speeding off down the road together once again.

"You got a name, doll?" he asked her as they travelled along.

"My name is Jackie Galore" she told him, flipping her hair over her shoulder, "and if you don't want to end up like that guy back there, I suggest you do as I say" she told him firmly.

"You certainly know how to handle yourself" Hyde agreed as he shot a glance her way.

"Thats not all I had in mind to handle" she told him with a sexy smile, and the car almost swerved right off the road, "Am I making you uncomfortable, Mr Hyde?" Jackie checked, liking the power she seemed to have over him.

"A little shaken, not stirred" he replied as she pressed herself up close to him, almost completely putting him off his driving as her hands and lips roamed.

"Do you always wear a gun this big?" she asked as he fingers ran southwards.

"I'm not wearing a gun" he told her, as he pulled the car off the road, "but I have a button here that might interest you" he told her with a smirk, as a pressed something on the dash and their seats shot back together.

"Oh, Steven" Jackie gasped, as he kissed her, "You are amazing, and as crazy as it seems, I love you" she admitted, pressing her body close to his, their lips almost touching.

"It is crazy" he agreed, "but I love you too" he said, as he kissed her deeply...

"AAAaaaaaargh!!"

There wasn't many things that led to Hyde waking up screaming with such horror, but a dream in which he confessed love for anyone, especially Jackie, was one thing that induced such a reaction. Thankfully it seemed he'd managed to get a decent night's sleep before this abomination had passed through his mind and it was now past lunch time on Sunday.

Hyde needed something to clear his head. A walk was probably a pretty good idea, and if that didn't work there was always the option of going and getting wasted. Maybe he could even rope Forman in for some beer-swilling activities. Though Steven Hyde was not a great talker, especially about feelings and emotions, when it came to this mess he found himself in with Jackie, he was probably at least going to have to talk about some of it with somebody. Of all the guys, Eric at least had his head screwed on a little when it came to women.

Right now Hyde just concentrated on getting up, getting dressed, and getting out of his slightly smoky bedroom, into the fresh Wisconsin air. The Sunday morning after didn't feel too great, despite the fact he'd really done nothing on Saturday night to be punished for - far from it!

To Be Continued...


	13. Chapter 13

A/N : If you're reading this I would really appreciate it if you would leave a review and let me know what you think. It'd be awesome to get some more feedback. Big thanks to those that are reading/reviewing - you rock :-)

EDIT : Oops, posted the un-betaed version! Fixed now!

Chapter 13

Donna was trying to figure out what she could have for dinner, since any kind of family meal this Sunday seemed to be off the cards given the way her parents were fighting right now. She was trying to decide between peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or going over to the Formans to see if Eric's family would feed her, when someone started tapping on the back door.

Assuming it was her boyfriend coming to call, Donna closed the cupboard she'd been digging in and moved to open the door. She was surprised to find a flustered female on the other side.

"Jackie" she said, frowning, "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I need to talk to someone, Donna" the little brunette declared as she pushed her way into the Pinciottis kitchen, "And I know we're not like best friends or anything, and you're kind of a lumberjack, but I have to talk to someone about Steven" she declared, "You're the only girl who might know him better than I do" she said, slumping down onto a chair and looking up at the red-head with troubled eyes.

Donna would've liked to have told Jackie to get lost, after all she had just insulted her and she was right when she said they weren't exactly the best of friends. Still, she liked the idea of Hyde having a girlfriend and being happy, and after all Jackie had been through with Kelso and his cheating on her it'd be cool if she could have a nice guy for a boyfriend now.

"Okay" she sighed, taking a seat opposite the brunette, "Tell me what happened. Did the date not go well?" she asked, not hugely surprised that it hadn't, after all, as she'd said to Eric, Hyde wasn't exactly the gentleman type that Jackie was used to.

"The date was so great" Jackie enthused, leaning her elbows on the table, and smiling widely, "We saw the new James Bond movie, and Steven put his arm around me, and then we went to the Hub and got sodas, and Steven said I was hotter than any of the girls in the movie, which I already knew but its still nice to hear" she explained at a mile a minute as was her way, the smile firmly stuck on her lips.

"Right" Donna nodded once, "So it sounds like you had almost a perfect evening"

"Focus, Donna!" Jackie demanded, "I'm not finished yet" she protested, "It was after that, when Steven and I were... well, we went for a drive" she said with a look.

"So you were making out" her friend shrugged, "We've all seen you do that in the basement, what's the big deal? Unless you... oh my God, Jackie, did you and Hyde...?"

"No, we didn't" the brunette shook her head, looking down at her hands, "I mean, I thought about it, and I think Steven did too. So I... Donna, I told him how I really felt about him. I told him I love him"

"Woah" Donna gasped, her hand going over her mouth.

Now she knew what Jackie's problem was. There was no way in hell Hyde would've said he loved her back. Whether he felt it or not, nobody but he himself could say, but Donna knew better than anyone how difficult Hyde found it to show his feelings. For a while there, she was sure he'd quite liked her, but he'd never really professed anything specific. Whatever it was, he'd obviously got over it, and was now with Jackie. There was no doubting he felt something pretty deep for her, that was obvious from the change in him lately. Still, it was patently clear that Jackie's words of love would've bothered him, scared him if truth be told, though Donna knew Hyde would never use such a word to describe himself.

"Donna, it was awful" Jackie said, sounding tearful, "I told him I love him and he just went all cold on me"

"He didn't say anything at all?" her friend checked, but Jackie was prevented from answering as her parents came crashing through the door from the living room.

"Donna!" Midge yelled, "Can you please tell your father that he's an ass!"

"Don't drag her into this, Midge!" Bob told his wife, pointing a stern finger her way, before turning to his daughter, "Donna, can you please tell your mother that you're on Daddy's side"

"Figure this out yourselves!" she told them, getting up, grabbing Jackie's arm and dragging her with her, through to the living room away from the clearly crazy adults.

"What is up with your parents?" Jackie frowned as she landed on the couch with a thud, and Donna joined her.

"Nothing" the red-head denied it fast, though it was an obvious lie, she just didn't want to deal right now, "We were talking about you and Hyde"

"Right" her friend nodded, "Oh Donna, what am I supposed to do?" she asked, looking almost desperate, "I finally thought I was getting somewhere with Steven and then it all goes wrong again, and I want a happy ever after, Donna, I want it so bad" she whined, leaning her head on her friends shoulder.

"Hey, Jackie, it's gonna be okay, y'know" Donna said awkwardly, putting an arm half-heartedly around the other girl and patting her back, "Hyde's just not great at expressing feelings, he never has been. I think maybe it's cos of his parents" she explained, "Y'know his Dad left when he was just a kid and his Mom likes drinking and guys more than taking care of Hyde"

"Yeah, I guess Gross Edna isn't the greatest role model for normal feelings" Jackie sighed, "but Donna, I want Hyde to be good with feelings, I want us to... have feelings together" she said almost shyly, a rare emotion for someone like Jackie.

"It'll happen, Jackie" her friend assured her, "Sometimes guys are just stupid, like Eric. He's not exactly great at expressing feelings either. He screws up way more often than Hyde probably ever will" she smiled as she thought of her wonderful if not somewhat stupid boyfriend, "Bottom line, Jackie, is the words aren't really important. I think it's a pretty safe bet that Hyde loves you, or at least as much as it's possible for him to love anybody" she shrugged.

Jackie looked pleased to hear it, but there were still doubts in her mind if she were honest. How was she supposed to know what her boyfriend was feeling if he wouldn't tell her? Sometimes men were impossible!

* * *

Hyde wasn't great at talking, actually that was a lie, he was great at talking when he was putting the world to rights, explaining to his friend, or pretty much anybody who would listen, about how the government were out to get him and everyone else. He had a lot of opinions about the establishment and so forth, but when it came to talking about real things, emotions and feelings, that was when Hyde had trouble.

He'd like to think he was just being a man, and he was certain Red would agree with that, though he was hardly the most emotionally stable of guys. Hyde had never had the love of decent parents, that was probably why he found it so hard to love others, and yet he knew he felt something deep for Jackie, something that he could only identify as love, even if that was a crazy thought,

This was why Hyde was headed over to the Forman house. Sure, Eric wasn't necessarily the best person to talk to about this, but they were buds, amigos, and given that the only other choices he really had were Kelso and Fez, Eric was without doubt the best choice. Kelso was a good guy but he was also Jackie's ex, and besides his idea of love and affection was constant 'doing it'. As for Fez, he wouldn't know what to do with a woman if he had one, and was still being educated by the other guys, Hyde in particular. Eric at least had Donna, and understood more of this love stuff since he'd been brought up in a loving family, and had a girlfriend that, for reasons unknown, adored him.

With a sigh, Hyde turned down the street and arrived on the Formans driveway. Eric was there, bouncing a basketball on the spot, presumably a little lost in thought as he wasn't moving his feet or taking a shot at the hoop.

"Hey, Forman" Steven called as he approached, "I kinda need to talk to you, and before you get all weird about me actually wanting to talk about this stuff, don't bother" he warned him, as he came to stand in front of him, "Just shut up and listen for a while, okay?" he said, not really requiring an answer to his question, as he intercepted the ball Eric had been bouncing and walked past him, bouncing it along in front of him.

"Y'know me and Jackie had our big date last night" he continued, "We went to the movies, and it was actually pretty cool. Forman, I haven't been to a movie and seen the end since I was fourteen!" he declared, barely glancing at the friend he was talking to, as he continued, "But with Jackie, I dunno, man, we just had fun watching together. She actually likes James Bond, it was crazy. So then we went to the Hub and from there... we were making out in the back if her Dad's Lincoln. Man, I got so close to finally making it, and then she throws me a curveball" he explained, catching the ball between his two hands and turning towards Forman and the basketball hoop beyond.

"She said she loves me, Forman!" he yelled, "and the worst part was, I knew she wanted me to say it back, and I almost did it!" he said, throwing the ball full force at the hoop and jogging forward to catch it as it came back to the ground, "I mean, what the hell is happening to me? I don't do love. I hate all that happily ever after, fairytale crap that Jackie talks about..."

Hyde gave up on his rant when he realised Eric had neither moved nor spoken this whole entire time. Sure he'd told him to shut up and listen, but this was insane, his eyes hadn't left the ground!

"Hey, Forman!" Hyde yelled, throwing the ball directly at him, but instead of putting up his hands to catch the ball, Eric just let it glance of his almost lifeless body, "What the hell is the matter with you?" he asked, and finally his friend glanced up at him and spoke.

"My grandma is in the car" he said flatly, and Steven moved around the Vista Cruiser to the passenger seat.

"Hey, Grandma Forman" he said, giving her his best smile, before he realised her eyes were closed, "How come she's sleeping in the car, man?" he checked with Eric who shook his head slowly.

"She's not sleeping" he told his friend, "She's dead"

"Oh, man, I'm sorry" Hyde declared, a rare moment of sympathy as he came back to his friends side and placed a hand on his shoulder, "You wanna go get wasted?"

"Yeah" Eric agreed with a nod, and the pair headed off together.

Okay, so drinking wasn't going to solve either of their problems in the long term, but what else were two troubled seventeen year old boys going to do with their day?

To Be Continued...


	14. Chapter 14

A/N : Though I have a main plan with this fic, much of it simply writes itself as I go along. Therefore, I have no idea how long the whole story will be or exactly what will happen. All I can say for sure is, the eventual end will be happy and J/H :-)

Chapter 14

For the past week, Hyde and Jackie had been forced to put their feelings on hold, or rather the conversation about whatever feelings they were both having had been delayed. It seemed inappropriate to have the discussion at any time when the gang were around, and Hyde had pulled the best friend act with Eric in a big way, meaning he and Jackie were hardly ever alone. Though nobody would accuse Hyde of hiding behind Eric and the obvious grief the Forman boy was feeling over his grandmother's death, he was making a much bigger deal of caring about all this than he usually would.

Of course, none of Steven Hyde's friends had any idea what was going on in his head. Thoughts and feelings regarding Jackie were still prominent in his head and heart, and whilst his support of Forman was genuine, he knew himself he was hiding a little. Another reason was he really felt the death of the older Mrs Forman quite deeply, not because he had any particular affection for the old lady with the acid tongue, but more because of what had happened to her.

For all that she was, Mrs Forman was loved by her family, and that had got Hyde thinking about love and family in general. The closest he had to family was the Formans, since his father had split long ago and his mother had disappeared more recently. He had to love Edna, she was his Mom and everybody had to love their parents, but if she could leave him like this the question became did she really love her son? She didn't show much sign of it, but in some way or another she had been there for him since the day he was born, at least until now. Two weeks ago she'd said she was going away for a classy weekend with a friend of hers, which Hyde knew was a lie in itself. The trucker she spoke of was way more than a friend and well on his way to becoming Hyde's latest uncle, he was certain, and there would be absolutely nothing classy about the way those two would spend their time.

The disappearance of his mother only went further to prove to Hyde that anyone you loved would always eventually leave you. His parents were both gone from his life now, and here was Forman even now trying not to cry over his grandmother's loss. Red barely wanted to look at his son, and Kitty was fighting tears. All the people that were supposed to love each other ended up hurt, losing those they really loved and needed, or fighting against them. As far as Hyde could see, all love ever did was wreck everything. This he realised, as Jackie, who was sat next to him at this funeral he didn't belong at, slid her hand across into his own.

"Funerals are so sad" she whispered to him.

"Yeah" he agreed, squeezing her hand, only to feel her fingers slip from his and land on his thigh instead.

"The crazy thing is…" she said, her hand shifting up and down, "Death just makes me want to celebrate life, y'know?" she said, glancing his way.

"Jackie, if you're saying what I think you're saying…" he said, his eyes going wide behind his tinted glasses.

"You think I'm a freak, right?" she said, looking somewhat disappointed.

"I think we should get out of here" he told her with a grin, knowing he shouldn't be taking the opportunity to make out with her when the awkwardness of all that they felt for each other still hung between them, but when push came to shove, he was a seventeen year old boy, and the offer to fool around with his hot girlfriend was too great to turn down!

* * *

"Well, they're not talking, but at least they're being alone together on purpose" Donna sighed as she spotted Jackie and Hyde sneaking into the cloakroom together.

"Great, so at least my killing Grandma got those making out again, yet!" Eric said sarcastically, before putting his head in his hands as emotion got to him again.

"Eric, c'mon" Donna said putting a hand on his back, "You know you didn't really kill her" she told him firmly, "Old people die, it's just the way it is, and the fact you told her it wouldn't kill her to be nice did not make it happen"

"Yeah, you don't know that, Donna!" Eric said, shaking his head as he looked up at her, "I might've killed her and my Dad is going to kill _me_ when he finds out"

Donna didn't know what to say and so just pulled her boyfriend into a hug, ever mindful of the black eye he was sporting. His night out getting wasted with Hyde had afforded him his injuries when Kelso and Fez moved in on some girls with very large boyfriends. Eric, feeling guilty and stupid as well as very drunk, had dived on into a fight he couldn't handle, hence the black eye and other cuts and bruises that still looked pretty nasty one week on.

As she hugged her boyfriend close, Donna's mind wandered back to her friends. Jackie had been kind of a nightmare this past week, and to be honest so had Hyde. Whilst the former whined and complained about getting no alone time with her precious Steven, the latter monopolised all of Eric's time, and instead of being allowed to be there for her grieving boyfriend like she wanted to be, Donna felt as if, up to now, she had been kept at arm's length.

Now at least the red-head was getting the opportunity to be with her man, but she couldn't help wondering what was happening in that cloakroom. She was sure it was things she'd prefer not to imagine right now, but what bothered Donna was the conversation that would eventually come somewhere in amongst the making out.

Donna knew Jackie better than most, the fact they were the only two girls in their group of friends meant they really did have to get along and talk about a lot of things the guys were just to immature and male to understand! There was no way on Earth she was going to sleep with Hyde until she was sure he was in love with her. Getting Hyde to say those three magic words was obviously more difficult than it might've been with any other guy. Donna was pretty sure him, and in fact any of the guys, would say whatever it took to get a girl to sleep with them, but if Hyde had real feelings for Jackie, which she suspected he might just do, there was no way he'd say anything that wasn't honest, even if that did mean going without sex and the other privileges of being a good boyfriend.

Whilst Donna was right in what she was thinking, she'd only figured out a fraction of what was going on inside Hyde's head. Even he would be shocked by the events that followed, as he unscrambled the mess of thoughts and feelings inside him. Jackie would be doubly astounded – and not in good way. This she still had no idea about, as she and her boyfriend sailed past second base in the cloakroom closet.

Jackie knew she shouldn't just let this happen, not this way, but she wanted Steven to love her, she thought he probably did, and if he wouldn't actually say it, maybe it was better to let him prove it in other ways. After all, he was making her feel amazing right now, and as criminal as she knew it really was to make comparisons, she couldn't help but think how much more special she felt when she was with Steven this way than when she went all the way with Michael, and here she was in a smelly closet when that night was supposed to have been the most magical of her life.

"Oh, Steven" she gasped as he continued to assault her senses with every touch and kiss.

Hyde's mind was racing, thoughts suddenly flooding into the pleasantly empty space that making out with Jackie had made. She was just letting him do this, it seemed she wasn't going to protest if they went all the way, and as appealing as it was, he couldn't quite let himself go. All he could hear in his head was Jackie's words from one week ago.

'I love you, I love you, I love you' he heard it over and over in his mind, inspite of the fact she wasn't speaking now. Hyde as waiting for it, dreading it, almost afraid of it, and it threw his concentration completely out of the window. He couldn't operate like this, he couldn't live like it.

"Jackie" he said, pulling away, holding her at arms length when she seemed unwillingly to quit it.

She looked across the dimly lit room with wide innocent eyes, despite the passion that raged within her. Her boyfriend sighed and shook his head.

"We can't do this here" he told her, taking hold of her hand and sneaking the two of them back out of the cloakroom, and then out of the building.

Convinced that Steven was taking her somewhere special for a romantic evening, Jackie didn't protest at all, in fact the grin on her face couldn't've been any bigger as she let herself be taken away from it all.

Just in case his mother should show up, which was highly unlikely but not worth the risk, Hyde drove the two of them to the Formans place and led his girlfriend into the basement.

"Um, Steven" Jackie said awkwardly as she looked around, "I really don't think this a better place than the cloakroom" she said, the look on her face showing her lack of enthusiasm a little too well.

Hyde turned away from her for a moment, glad at least he had his glasses to hide behind as he turned back and found Jackie had sat down on the couch, presumably waiting for him to come over and continue what they'd started at the funeral. That was a nice idea for a plan, and she was as inviting as she could've been, but he had to be stronger than that to avoid all the pain that could come later.

"Jackie, we have to talk" he told her, feeling like he was getting a headache before he even started making her yell, which he had no doubt she would before he was done.

"Okay" she nodded, hoping he was going to talk about the subject she had in mind. Maybe he'd brought her here to finally tell her how he felt about her, though she tried not to get her hopes up too high just in case.

"Okay" Hyde repeated, taking a breath, "Jackie, I don't talk about feelings, and you know that, but… y'know, you're different, " he sighed, "you make me think about stuff, like how I feel and crap, and then Forman's grandma died and she's gone and she's not coming back and that made me think some more, about when people leave and…" he started to ramble and mentally slapped himself for doing so.

"Steven, it's okay" she assured him,.

"No, it's not!" he snapped, backing away from her like she'd scalded him from the simple touch of her hand on his, "Don't you get it, Jackie? It's not okay! I love you, for God sakes"

"Oh my God" she smiled, as tears of joy filled her eyes, "Steven, that's perfect" she enthused, scrambling to her feet and rushing toward him, arms open to hug him, lips ready to kiss, but he held her at bay.

"No, it's not perfect" he told her, with a sad shake of his head, "Jackie, we have to stop this, end it now"

"But I don't understand" she shook her head, "You just said…"

"I know what I said" he assured her, not wanting to hear his own words back again, once was enough, "People like us don't belong together" he told her, his hands at her shoulders where he'd been holding her back before, "We're going to end up hurt, and… and it's not worth it, okay?" he said, turning away from her as the joyful tears in her eyes turned sad and trickled down her face.

"We're not worth it?" she checked, voice shaking with emotion, "Our relationship isn't worth fighting for? I don't even know what the problem is…"

"The problem is, I want out of this thing, Jackie" he told her, getting angry now, a reaction to the fact he hated himself for making her cry, "You and me are over" he said too harshly, making for the stairs, "Get it now?" he asked rhetorically, before disappearing from her view.

Maybe Jackie would hate him now, for a while at least, Hyde couldn't care about that. He hated himself just as much, but this was better done now than later, ...wasn't it?

To Be Continued...


	15. Chapter 15

A/N : Thanx to those that leave the awesome reviews - you all rock!  
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 15

"Y'know, I should've stayed single this whole time, man" Hyde grinned as he sat in his house in the Circle with his friends, "In fact, I should've got my own place sooner. No chicks around, man, no Mom yelling at me, no girlfriend, saying 'Steven, lets talk about feelings' and 'Steven, lets got to he mall'" he said, faking Jackie's high-pitched tone, "I'm free from all female influence, and it is the best feeling" he declared.

Of course it was mostly the dope talking. Living alone without his Mom was starting to be a problem, and living without Jackie, that was damn near killing him, but in front of his friends and under the influence, he wouldn't say anything about that, he didn't even feel it.

"Yeah, no chicks is cool" Kelso nodded, with a stupid grin on his face that he managed quite well, even without the smoky haze that surrounded them, "but y'know what's even cooler than no chick? Two chicks!" he told them, "like at the same time, that'd be the coolest"

"Kelso" Eric sighed, "You've been dumped twice now, by two different girls" he shook his head, "The chances of you ever getting two at once, it's not looking good, man" he told him,.

"This is true, Kelso" Fez agreed with a nod, "First Jackie dumped you, and now Pam Macey. Sure, you can get the girls with your pretty face and toned body, but you can't keep them"

"Why would you want to keep them, man?" Hyde declared, "Chicks are only good for one thing, Fez, and then you gotta get out before it gets messy"

"Yeah, relationships are messy, man" Kelso agreed, "Like eating peanut butter right out the jar" he observed, holding said receptacle up in front of him, and pushing most of his other hand inside, "See it's sweet and delicious, like a girl, but in the end it just gets messy and you feel nauseous" he said, stuffing his peanut butter covered hand into his mouth and smearing half his face in the process, "Wow, that was so deep" he realised, around a mouthful of sticky food.

"Well, I wouldn't trade my Donna for all the peanut butter in the world!" Eric declared, waving an arm emphatically, "Cos y'know what, my life sucked before I was with her and now… now it's perfect. Well, y'know, except for the still a virgin part, but whatever" he shrugged.

"It is not good to be a virgin" Fez agreed, "Um, guys, do you think that Jackie or Pam Macey would be interested in Fez since they dumped you two?" he asked Hyde and Kelso, only to be knocked upside his head by the boy next to him.

"You can't just use Jackie, man" he said firmly, only to be stared at by his friends like he had three heads, "I mean, if you're going to date a girl for sex then ditch her, it can't be someone we hang out with, man, that's going to get even messier" he back-pedalled, not even sure he was saying the right thing as the smoke messed with his head.

"Yeah, even messier than peanut butter" Kelso agreed, "and jelly too"

"Hang on a second, Jackie dumped Hyde?" Eric checked, "I thought you said you dumped her?" he asked his friend.

"I did, man" Hyde agreed, "She was just… it had to be over, y'know. We don't fit together" he shrugged, wishing he'd never started this conversation and yet caring less and less as the smoke rose higher.

"Me and Jackie fit together real well" Kelso grinned, "Y'know, when we do it!" he explained unnecessarily, only to earn the same smack in the head that Fez had received moments before.

Eric laughed, glad he was further away and not so easily struck as he spoke.

"Man, Jackie's such a whore, going with both you guys" he declared, only to be hit on the top of the head by a flying beer can from Hyde.

Forman tipped back on the chair so far that the whole thing crashed to the ground, sending both him and all three of his friends into fits of giggles, their disagreements forgotten for a while.

* * *

Donna was getting an extreme feeling of déjà vu as she sat in Jackie's room with her arm around her friend, assuring her that everything was going to turn out okay in the end. Of course she couldn't guarantee that. She thought she understood what was going on with Hyde, they'd known each other long enough and he always seemed to make sense to her, even when nobody else got it. Lately he'd changed, and everybody was aware of it, but mostly he'd seemed to change for the better. 

Since he'd started dating Jackie, Hyde's mood had improved. He was nicer if such a thing were possible, and whilst he wasn't about to win any awards for boyfriend of the year, he'd been treating Jackie pretty well. A lot of their relationship seemed to be based on the physical and they were often to be seen making out all over the basement or wherever, but the majority of their first and only real date the other night seemed to go pretty well to, the 'I love you' catastrophe not withstanding.

It didn't much bother Donna that she and Eric had yet to reach the scary love part of their relationship. She kind of took it as given that they felt that way about each other and didn't worry too much about the words. She knew Jackie was different, and that she needed that reassurance. It was hard to believe that Hyde had said it too, actually stood their and said he loved Jackie, only to turn around the very next minute and dump her. That was the part that nobody really understood, and it seemed Hyde wasn't overly keen to share either. That at least was normal and in-character for him.

"Jackie, come on" Donna urged the girl who was once again crying on her shoulder, situation normal for the past two days, "You know it's not doing any good you sitting here crying like this. You think Hyde is going to change his mind about you whilst you're acting like this?" she said, making her friend sit up sharply and look at her.

"You think he could change his mind, Donna?" she asked hopefully, hiccuping a little as she dried her eyes.

"Well, I don't know" the red-head admitted, "I don't think I understand exactly what his mind is doing anyway" she sighed, "but I know he can't stand losers and quitters"

"He quit on me, Donna" Jackie argued, "He's the one that said we had to be over, because we weren't worth it"

"Then shouldn't you be there showing him that you are worth it?" Donna suggested, "Y'know if Eric ever dumped me, I wouldn't sit in the house crying like somebody died"

"Eric would never dump you" Jackie rolled her eyes, "He knows you're the best he'll ever get"

"That's not the point, Jackie" her friend argued, making emphatic gestures with her arms as she faced her, "The point is if you want Hyde to see what a mistake he's made you have to show him. You have to be there, looking so hot and acting so cool that he can't find a reason not to be with you" she explained, "You did it with Kelso"

"Donna that was different" she shook her head sadly, "I had Steven to show me how to be strong"

"Yeah" the red-head agreed, "and when you followed his advice he liked you better, we all did. Jackie, you can be a strong person, you are, but you have to believe that you can do it without some guy"

"You know, Donna, you're right" Jackie nodded, drying her face free of tears, "We're strong, confident women, and this is the seventies"

"That's right" Donna agreed proudly as they both got to their feet, "So, what are we going to do?"

"I'm going to put on my best clothes, get my hair done, and go down to that smelly basement to face Steven and show him just what he is missing" she said determinedly.

"That's the spirit" Donna smiled, until Jackie sat down at her vanity table, and promptly screamed, "What the hell, Jackie?!" her friend declared, putting a hand to her ear, "I think you burst my ear drum"

"Focus, Donna!" the little brunette snapped, "Look at me! I'm all red and puffy, and it's all Steven Hyde's fault!" she said angrily, "Oh, he's going to regret messing with Jackie Burkhart" she said firmly to her reflection in the glass.

Donna wasn't sure if she was proud of her friends new resolve or just afraid!

* * *

"Can we go already?" Kelso whined like a child, from his position perched on the back of the couch in the Forman's basement, "I'm starved!" 

"Yes, Fez is also very hungry" the foreign boy added, from his place in the lawn chair, "There was nothing good to eat at Hyde's house"

"You don't like my food you don't have to come hang out there, Fez" Hyde snapped, from his own seat, though everyone knew his anger was much less aimed at Fez as it was a general angry tone he'd had near constantly since his break-up with Jackie.

A black cloud seemed to have descended and was now hovering over his head near constantly, only floating away when they were in The Circle or if he drank enough beer. Right now he was down off his high and sober as he ever could be, and that meant bad moodiness for everybody to endure.

"Donna called, she said she'd be right over" Eric said as he threw a leg over the back of the couch and pulled himself up to sit beside Kelso, "Then we'll head straight for The Hub, okay?"

Almost as if she'd heard him speak her name and entered purposefully at that moment, Donna came in through the back door of the basement, much to the delight of the hungry Kelso and Fez. The downside to her arrival came in the form of the short brunette girl behind her.

"Oh, hey Jackie" Eric said awkwardly, eyes flitting from her to Hyde and back.

He didn't look at all thrilled that she was there, but then really if anyone would be avoiding the basement the gang expected it to be Jackie, after all she was the one that got dumped. She looked pretty unfazed by it, in fact all the boys, including Eric, couldn't help but think how very hot she looked tonight.

"I think breaking up with Hyde agrees with you, Jackie" Fez smiled, "You look beautiful"

"Thank you, Fez" she grinned back at him, before shooting a look in her ex boyfriend's direction.

Hyde stared her down through his tinted glasses. This was for his benefit he was sure. Jackie wanted him to see what he was missing now he'd dumped her, and sure he still thought she was totally hot, but he knew deep down he'd done the right thing. The pain they would eventually cause each other just wasn't worth it. To be over was better for both of them, it would hurt less now than it would later, at least that was the plan. Still, it wasn't doing him much good seeing her look so good, especially when Fez started leering at her and Kelso dropped down onto the seat of the couch beside her the moment she sat down, telling her she smelt really great.

"I thought we were headed out to The Hub" Hyde snapped suddenly as he got to his feet.

"Yeah, sure" Eric agreed, looking between the estranged couple with trepidation, "Er, is this gonna be cool, man, because…?" he started to ask Hyde in a low voice as they headed up to the car.

"It's fine, Forman, just shut up, okay?" Hyde said, getting angrier, and Eric knew now was a good time to drop it.

"Oh, tonight is going to be so much fun" he said with fake excitement to Donna, who looked like she was dreading it just as much.

To Be Continued...


	16. Chapter 16

A/N : I find the chapters I write for That 70s Show fics are almost always shorter than when I write chapters of any other type of fic. Maybe because its mainly comedy, and I find it more difficult because of that. Drama and romance were always my forte, comedy not so much. Still, here's the new chapter, hope you like, shortness not withstanding :-)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 16

Eric hadn't been wrong with his sarcastic comment about how fun the evening was going to be. The scene that had been caused just trying to get everybody into the Vista Cruiser had been bad enough!

It had been taken as read what the seating plan was for a while now. Jackie and Hyde sat in the back with Fez, and Donna sat next to Eric, with Kelso the other side. It had been that way so long, everybody just went to those usual positions without a thought. Of course things were different now that Jackie and Hyde were broken up. Whilst he didn't say anything about not wanting to sit beside her, the look he gave Eric said it all.

"Okay, so Fez and Jackie could switch places and…" Eric began only to be cut off by the little brunette.

"No, Eric" she snapped, sidling up to him and dropping her voice, "Fez keeps looking at me like he's going to pounce or whatever, I can't sit with him"

"Okay" Eric sighed.

"Look, Jackie, why don't you sit up front with me and Eric?" Donna suggested, thinking that'd get her away from all the guys, and give her a side window to look out of if she wanted.

"Uh!" Kelso's shrill noise of indigence was almost so high that only dogs could hear it, "I always ride shotgun with Eric and Donna!" he complained.

"Yeah, well, today you don't" Hyde told him, pushing him into the back seat, beside Fez who was already there.

"I don't see why we all have to change just because you and Jackie broke up" he rolled his eyes, "When me and Jackie were together…"

"Shut up, Michael!" his ex snapped, pointing an angry finger at him through the half wound-down window, "Don't say another word" she told him firmly, as she followed Donna into the front of the car.

With the seating debacle over, Eric took a breath and started up the car, pulling off the drive and heading out onto the road. The silent ride was helped along when Donna turned on the radio, well, it helped for a whole five seconds.

Jackie huffed as she leaned forward and turned the dial, shifting stations, the music warping from Blue Oyster Cult to Abba.

"Hey, turn it back!" Hyde yelled from the back seat.

"Steven, you know I don't like that kind of music" she reminded him, "And I'm in the front seat so it's my choice, right, Eric?"

"Well, Jackie, I…" he began, glancing her way and catching the fiery look in her eyes and the pleading look in Donna's that told him not to argue right now, "Sure, we can have Abba on the radio, that's cool"

"Idiot" Hyde muttered, turning his head and staring out the window as the darkening scenery shot by.

* * *

Arriving at The Hub, the gang went to take seats around a table, sparking a whole other debate about who certain people would or would not sit next to. With Eric and Donna trying to stick together, and Jackie and Steven trying to stay apart, plus Kelso now being grumpy with his ex, and Fez feeling like a spare part in the whole situation, it did not make for a happy group. 

Whilst the rest bickered, or shot silent glares at each other, Donna kept an eye on Jackie and Hyde. For all his determination to break up with her, he sure looked at her a whole lot, and not like he was mad at her either. Even with those stupid glasses on, Donna detected the longing look her old friend was passing across the table. Jackie seemed mostly oblivious, but then every time one caught the other looking at them, they looked away so fast, it was entirely possible that neither realised quite how much the other was staring.

"Er, I need to go to the bathroom" Donna said awkwardly, "Jackie, will you come with me?"

"Oh Donna, of course" she grinned, glad of the opportunity, since her friend seldom if ever made such a request.

"My God!" the red-head exclaimed, just as soon as they had closed the bathroom door, "You two are driving me crazy!" she yelled, waving an arm.

"What are you talking about, Donna?" Jackie frowned, as if she didn't know.

"You and Hyde" Donna said with a tone to rhyme with 'duh!', "You two spend your whole time staring at each other, and pretending you're not. That's stupid!"

"I can't help it" Jackie sighed, "Donna, I love him so much, and it's driving me crazy, because I finally got him to say he loved me too, and then he hurt me so bad"

"I know it's tough, Jackie" Donna sighed, putting an arm around her tearful friend, "but y'know, you just have to keep being strong like we talked about" she encouraged her, "The way he's looking at you already, I'd say he's definitely wondering why he ever broke up with you"

"Really?" Jackie looked encouraged by that, as her friend nodded, "Well then, look out Steven Hyde" she said confidently to her reflection in the mirror, "Before the night is through, you're going to wish you never dumped Jackie Burkhart" she grinned, pulling her shoulders back and holding her head high as the two girls exited the bathroom.

Donna was just glad to have got away with not being cried on again. She really didn't deal with that kind of thing too well. Hopefully tonight would improve from here on out, though she wasn't so sure.

* * *

"There must be something that everybody wants to do" Eric sighed as the gang drove around. 

It was a a while now since they'd left The Hub and Donna was pretty sure she'd seen the same fire hydrant go past three times as they circuited around the town, trying to find something that the whole gang would be happy doing. Bowling was out because Jackie hated rented shoes, and the mall was no good because Hyde refused to go shopping. Most activities were vetoed by one or the other of the ex couple, and the others were pretty sure it was all just pettiness and spitefulness causing this.

Usually it wasn't so difficult to get some agreement between the group, but tonight any and every suggestion was no good. Whilst Jackie agreed to a movie or dancing, Hyde declined, and his ideas to get wasted at a bar or go back to The Hub were equally as abhorrent to his ex.

"For the love of God, somebody make a suggestion that everybody will agree on!" Eric yelled, almost hysterically, a little surprised when Kelso began bouncing in his place on the back seat.

"I got it!" he declared, hand raised like he was in class, "We could go the reservoir and go skinny dipping!" he said excitedly.

"Ooh, skinny dipping would be fun!" Fez enthused, as the girls looked unimpressed.

"No, it wouldn't" Donna shook her head, "Sure it is for you guys, because you get to see us girls, and that's a treat, but we have too look at you, and that's nasty!" she declared, looking to her friend, "Right, Jackie?"

The little brunette looked back at Steven, who refused to look at her and a smile spread across her lips.

"I don't mind" she shrugged, "I'll do it" she said, knowing just how crazy she could drive Steven by cavorting all naked in the water.

She was so determined now to show him what he was missing, and she had a body to die for, there was no reason at all why she shouldn't use it to her advantage.

"Alright!" Kelso yelled happily, "That's three, who else is in?" he checked, "Donna?"

"I don't care" she shrugged, "I'll do it if everyone else will"

"You will?" Eric's eyes went wide, "Then I am in!" he said excitedly.

"Hyde?" Kelso checked with the last occupant of the car.

"Whatever" came the Zen reply they'd all been expecting, Hyde's gaze barely leaving the side window, as Eric turned the car around and headed for the reservoir.

This was a bad idea, Steven knew it already. Though he was usually of the school of thought that believed no opportunity to see naked women should be turned down, the idea of having to be close to naked Jackie and not touch her was not good. He was dreading it already, and the nightmare had hardly even begun...

* * *

Hyde honestly wasn't sure who he was madder at right now; Fez, Kelso, or Jackie. 

There were good enough reasons to being pissed at each of them. Fez had made such a deal about chasing Jackie around at the reservoir, but the poor guy was still a virgin and the girls were naked, so Hyde guessed he couldn't really blame him for getting over-zealous. In fairness, he quit it just as soon as Hyde warned him to.

As for Jackie, she hadn't exactly been anti-Fez's advances, despite her earlier misgivings, and Kelso wasn't exactly told to back off when he started with her too. Of course it wasn't really Jackie's fault that God had chosen to give her the body of a little goddess, but it was entirely down to her that she used it to her advantage. Hyde knew damn well what she was trying to do, just the same as she did. He was far from oblivious to her charms, so much so that there was a conscious effort that had to be made to take control of his body before he dared to get out of the water…

The third candidate for 'person Hyde was most mad at' probably had to win the prize. Michael Kelso had some stupid ideas quite often, skinny dipping hadn't seemed like one of them, until the gang climbed out of the reservoir and found the place Kelso had said would be safe for their clothes was far from it. Someone had stolen everything, from underwear to jackets, every scrap of clothing was gone. Yeah, Hyde was most mad at Kelso, this he proved as he frogged him in the arm all of a sudden.

"Hey!" the brunette complained, "What was that for?"

"What do you think, man?" Hyde snapped, "For losing us our clothes in the middle of nowhere, you idiot!"

"Yeah, and there is no way we can go back to my house now" Eric said firmly "My parents would freak"

"It's cool, man, we can go to my place" Hyde told Forman, as he started going a little crazy at the wheel, "My Mom's still out of town"

"Wow, Hyde, she's been gone a while now" Donna noted, since she was sure her friend had mentioned his mother going away a good two weeks before.

"So?" he snapped, "It's not like I can't take care of myself, Pinciotti!" he said angrily, and Donna knew to shut up.

She'd clearly hit a raw nerve and she backed off, but it didn't stop her, and Eric too, from being concerned. They were the worriers in the gang, and the thought of Hyde being alone in his house with zero parental supervision for this long was definitely something to be concerned about. Still, Hyde didn't seem bothered, and there was a chance Edna would come back. Responsibility for her kid was not something she was great at, but surely she wouldn't abandon Hyde for good.

"Wherever we're going can we just go already?" Jackie shivered, "I don't feel so good"

"Hey, it's not my fault that Hyde's house and the reservoir are on opposite sides of town" Eric pointed out, "Or that I'm having a lot of trouble concentrating on driving right now" he said, eyes flitting from the road to Donna's naked body and back.

'Maybe tonight isn't turning out to be quite as bad as I thought' Eric smiled to himself.

To Be Continued...


	17. Chapter 17

A/N : I thank the reviewers for their continued support, and ask thatif you read and don't review, that maybe you could consider actually leaving a few words of encouragement if you like the fic - it helps alot! Also, a promise to you all - the J/H shall return!  
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 17

"Jackie, will you just pick something already?" Donna urged her friend as they stood together in Edna Hyde's bedroom, picking through their friend's mother's clothes, none of which were really to their taste, but they had to wear something.

Donna pulled a shirt over her head that just about co-ordinated with the pants she'd already got on, whilst Jackie was still sorted through clothes with a disgusted look on her face as she flicked then away, holding a blanket up around her naked body.

"All these clothes are slutty" she declared, until she noticed the look on her friends face, "Oh, but they look great on you, Donna" she grinned, as the red-head rolled her eyes.

"Look, Jackie, just put something on" she urged her, as the girl shivered beside her, "Here, these pants are fine" she said, handing them too her, "and there must be a shirt here that you can bear to put on, just until you get home… Jackie!" Donna called her name when she didn't seem to be even on the same planet anymore, "Are you okay?"

"I don't know" she admitted, "I think I might have caught something at the reservoir" she said, as she came over a little hot and nauseous.

"Well, the faster you get dressed, the faster we can all go home" Donna said, practically forcing the poor girl into a pair of tight black pants, "Now, pick out a shirt already"

"You're not my mother, Donna!" Jackie snapped, knocking her hands away when she started holding clothes up in front of her as if she were trying to dress a doll, "And I don't..." she stopped short when she was forced to swallow hard and suddenly dived out of the room.

Heat radiated through her body, but she was shivering as she reached the bathroom, forcing down the urge to vomit. Of all the places to feel so bad, Jackie hated that she was at Steven's house. If he saw her sick, they were definitely over, she realised as she glanced up into the murky mirror and saw how awful she looked. Soon she was feeling better, and not liking the idea of running round a house full of guys in her topless state, she headed back to the bedroom where Donna was waiting. Taking a wrong turn the door she actually opened led into a different bedroom to that she was expecting, and poor dizzy Jackie found herself in her ex-boyfriends bedroom. She'd really never been here before, he'd hardly even brought her to the house and since they hadn't quite made it to the making love part of their relationship, bed was not a place they'd ever headed for.

Jackie's eyes filled with tears for several reasons as she stood there looking around the messy bedroom. Steven might never bring her here now, might never love her like she wished he would. Plus she was cold again and felt nauseous and gross. This evening wasn't going at all how she'd planned.

"Jackie?" Donna called as she came into the room and found her there, "What are you doing?"

Just as her friend asked the question, the brunette's eyes landed in the one peculiar item in the whole of Steven's room - one laundered and folded T-shirt, which somehow seemed to have been left on the floor, almost hidden by the blamkets that were falling off the bed. The last of the laundry that Edna had done perhaps, before she went away, Jackie thought, as she carefully leant over and picked it up, ever mindful of pitching forward into the floor as her head spun somewhat.

"I found something to wear" she said, as she pulled the T-shirt over her head, and turned to face Donna.

"If you really wanted to get to Hyde, you shouldn't wear one of his Mom's shirts…" she said, with a nod of agreement.

Jackie's smile matched that of her friend as she smiled, knowing her plan was a good one, and following Donna out to the living room.

* * *

"God, what is taking them so long?" Kelso sighed as he sat down on the couch with a beer in his hand, "Girls just take so long to pick out clothes!" 

"It's like chicks' perrogative, man" Hyde told his friend, "They're great at making guys wait. Right, Forman?" he joked, raising an eyebrow at Eric who looked unimpressed.

"For your information, Hyde" he told his friend, "Donna is not making me wait… well, not for most stuff anyway" he admitted, when three pairs of staring eyes called him a liar.

"It is okay, Eric" Fez assured him, "At least only Donna is making you wait. The whole world is making Fez wait to do it, and it is a loooong wait!" he complained.

"Speaking of long waits" Eric said, looking at Hyde, "How long exactly till your Mom gets back?" he checked, "I mean, don't bite my head off or anything, but are you sure she's coming back?" he asked, almost nervous of the violent reaction he might evoke in his friend who hadn't been in the best of moods lately anyway.

"She'll be back in a couple of days, Forman, I don't know exactly" Hyde said seeming both angrily and awkward at the same time if such a thing were possible, "And hey, it's a good thing she is away, else who would've bailed you out tonight? Red would've killed you if you showed up at your house with a car full of naked people" he pointed out.

"Yeah, but here is cool" Kelso laughed, "We can be naked, and drink beer, and everything, with no parents or anything" he enthused,

"Exactly" Hyde grinned, proposing a toast with his beer can, "Welcome to Camp Naughty-Bad Fun" he declared as the guys all cheered and took a drink.

Hyde very nearly wasted good beer by spitting his mouthful everywhere, when suddenly the door to his mother's bedroom opened and out walked Jackie in overly tight pants, and one of his own T-shirts.

"Where'd you get that T-Shirt" Hyde asked, just as soon as he found the ability to swallow.

"Relax, Steven" Jackie rolled her eyes, "I didn't go into your room on purpose, I just took and wrong turn and this was just lying around" she shrugged, pulling at the Led Zeppelin T-Shirt she wore, "Besides, I didn't like any of your Mom's shirts, so I didn't think you'd mind if I borrowed this" she said as she took a seat next to Kelso.

"I think you look great, Jackie" he played up to her, liking the view he had from here – clearly she was feeling the cold more than he was.

"I need another beer" Hyde said, downing his first can overly fast and going to the kitchen for another.

"Y'know, I could use a drink too" Donna said thoughtfully as she hurried after Hyde.

In the kitchen, she closed the door behind herself and faced her friend.

"What's up, Pinciotti?" Hyde asked, pulling his head out of the refrigerator to glance behind and see who was there.

"That's kind of what I wanted to ask you, Hyde" she admitted, arms folded across her chest, "Y'know, just when I think I understand what the hell is going on in your head, you throw us all a curve ball"

"Why does everybody think that what happened with me and Jackie is their business?" he asked, adjusting his glasses on his nose and lining up cans of beer on the counter.

"Maybe because we actually care about you two?" Donna pointed out, like it was obvious, "Nobody wants to see either of you get hurt, Hyde, but we also can't stand hanging out with you two in this atmosphere"

"Fine, then don't" he said, heading for the door, but Donna blocked his way, knowing damn well he'd never lay a hand on her to move her.

For all that he was, and he really could be a complete dill hole and an idiot sometimes, Hyde wouldn't raise his hand to a woman, especially not Donna. They'd been friends long enough, she knew him, at least she thought she did up to the day he dumped Jackie.

"No" Donna said firmly, "We're staying here till you explain to me what the frickin' hell is going on" she said, looking very determined.

Hyde had enough experience of arguing with Donna to know that this would be near impossible to get out of without confessing to feelings and such that he would rather not share. His Zen worked on everybody, pretty much all of the time, but if anyone could break through the ice cold exterior of Steven Hyde to the soft chewy centre it was the two girls in the group; Jackie because of his feelings for her, and Donna because she'd pretty much known him forever.

"Y'know you're making this way more complicated than it is, Donna" Hyde shook his head, glad he could hide behind his glasses as he tried in vain to lie his way out of this, "You ever stop to think that maybe I was just using Jackie? She wouldn't be the first girl I dated and dumped right after the fun was over"

"Are you seriously so stupid that you think Jackie doesn't talk to me about what you guys do?" Donna smirked at his apparent ignorance or possible daring to lie to her, "I know, Hyde. I know that she told you she loved you and you couldn't say anything back" she explained, "And then when you finally told her how you felt about her, you dumped her"

"If you know so damn much, Pinciotti "Hyde said, getting a little angry now, "Why don't you explain to Jackie why we have to be over?"

"Because that's the one part I can't figure out" she told him, waving an arm emphatically, "What are you afraid of Hyde?"

"Come on, Donna, you know I'm not afraid of anything" he told her, with a half-hearted scoff of laughter.

"This is me you're talking to, Hyde" Donna reminded him, "Not Eric or any of those goons out there, but me" she said, hand going to her chest, "I know you, and I know that when it comes to people you care about you don't have the greatest luck"

"So you know I've been dumped on all my life, so what?" Hyde shrugged, "Everybody knows that, it's not like it matters" he said, though the fact he wouldn't look at her properly suggested it was a pack of lies.

"That's what this is about, isn't it?" she said suddenly, "You dumped Jackie because you were afraid one day she might dump you" Donna said, a light dawning in her head.

Hyde shifted uncomfortably, wishing she wasn't right in front of the door, or that he had fewer morals and could forcibly move her out of his way. Unfortunately, neither were true and he was trapped with this girl, one of his oldest friends, who had just figured out his secret – that he did have one fear, of being abandoned and hurt all over again.

Before Donna got a chance to press further on the matter or Hyde had a chance to deny or confirm what she'd said, there was a tap on the kitchen door, and then Eric's voice.

"Er, Donna, we could kind of use your help out here" he said, sounding really weird.

With a concerned look, Donna turned and opened the door.

"Hey, um, Jackie went to the bathroom" Eric explained, "She was running kinda fast, so I think it was like… an emergency" he said lamely, "She's been in there a really long time and as much as I shouldn't care, there was kind of a weird noise before and… well, you might want to go check she's okay"

Frowning at his odd description of events, Donna hurried out of the kitchen, through the living room to the bathroom door, and tapped on it. Hyde followed her, on automatic panic over what might be happening with Jackie. Kelso, Fez, and Eric followed on behind.

"Jackie?" Donna called, "Hey, Jackie, are you okay in there?"

An odd moan was the only reply she got and that worried the red head immensely. Pushing on the door she was surprised and yet relieved to find it was not locked and gave way under her weight.

"Oh my God" she gasped when she saw Jackie sprawled out on the floor, presumably having passed out.

Moving fast, she went inside and knelt down beside Jackie, asking her if she was okay.

"Donna?" she said drowsily, her eyes fluttering open and shut, "Is the room turning around?" she checked.

Hyde tapped on the door then that had been left ajar and poked his head around – after all, Jackie had little he hadn't already seen.

"Is she okay?" he checked, eyes going wide and mouth following suit as he realised his ex was far from okay.

Despite the fact the bathroom was barely large enough to accommodate two people, a third, in the form of Steven Hyde, pushed his way in, closing the door behind himself in the faces of Kelso, Fez, and Eric.

"Jackie, baby, what happened?" he asked her.

"She said she wasn't feeling so good before" Donna explained when Jackie seemed unable, "I think she caught something at the reservoir"

"Man, I am going to kill Kelso!" Hyde declared, as he realised Jackie was really sick.

"I would say we should take her home but I'm not sure she should travel like this" Donna shook her head, as she got to her feet, leaving Hyde on his knees beside the young brunette.

"It's cool, she can stay here" he nodded, stroking Jackie's hair off her pale face.

"Steven?" she moaned, looking up at him, "I think I'm sick" she said lamely.

"It's cool, Jackie" he promised her, "You're gonna be fine" he said, as he reached one arm around her shoulders, and manoeuvred himself to get his other arm beneath her knees.

In one swift movement he had her up from the floor, cradled to him like a baby with her head resting on his shoulder.

"What are you gonna do now?" Donna asked as he gestured for her to get the door for him.

"I'm gonna take care of my girl" he told her with a look that he knew she would understand, as he carried her out of the bathroom.

Donna smiled to herself. It was rough that Jackie was so sick, but it might just show Hyde exactly how important she was to him. It would be the silver lining to a black cloud, if this could bring the couple back together.

To Be Continued...


	18. Chapter 18

A/N : I should have posted this last night but I have recently got a new computer and I'd got some files mixed up and 'misplaced' the beta-ed version of this! All okay now, so please read, enjoy, and review!

Chapter 18

Things weren't supposed to end this way tonight, that was Hyde's over-riding thought as he sat by his own bed, slouched in a chair that looked fit to crumble even under his weight, and he watched over the girl that slept on. This wasn't exactly how Hyde had envisaged getting Jackie into his bed, having her throw up and then pass out on his bathroom floor, after catching something nasty from skinny dipping at the reservoir. Nope, that definitely wasn't ever a plan he'd had. There had been plenty of ideas bouncing around in his head for a while now, even after the moment a few days ago when he'd been forced to break her heart for the greater good, but this wasn't one that had featured at all.

Hyde still believed he'd done the right thing in ending things with Jackie like he had, but right now that wasn't really important. What mattered was the fact that someone he cared about was sick, and he was going to take care of her the best he could. It certainly didn't seem ilke anyone else cared enough to do it.

Donna had tried calling the Burkhart house the moment Hyde carried Jackie through to the bedroom to lay her down. As Fez squawked like a crazy person about giving this 'fallen angel' the kiss of life, and Hyde told him to back off or else, Eric had showed Donna the broken off end of the phoneline and she'd hung up with a sigh.

With no way to call Jackie's parents or a doctor, Donna had started to worry a little, but Hyde assured her that it would all be cool. The Burkharts routinely went away on the weekends, he couldn't imagine this one would be any different, so Jackie wouldn't be missed at home. As for a doctor, it was suggested they wait til the morning since it was perfectly possible Jackie could feel much better by then.

Eric had soon started to panic about not making curfew and with his friends all now fully dressed, he drove them home, leaving Hyde alone with Jackie at last. He could've slept in his Mom's room or on the couch but honestly he didn't want to leave Jackie alone. Waking up in a strange place would probably freak her out, and if she felt sick again in the night he wanted to be there for her.

Somewhere along the line, Hyde realised Jackie had softened him up, at least where she herself was concerned. That ought to worry him, it kinda did really, but in another way Steven found he was almost happy to have been changed. Jackie had shown him he was capable of loving somebody, and that he was worth being loved too. Of course he'd never say any of this to her when she was awake, but as she slept he'd told her all kinds of things. His long night of quiet contemplation as he watched her rest had been punctuated with moments of babbling, confessing, talking at random about what he felt for her and why he'd broken both their hearts by breaking up with her last week.

He thought a clean break early on was better than the long drawn out pain that might come later when she walked out on him for whatever reason. That was what always happened. People that loved Hyde left, all of them, parents, girls, even some friends. Sure Eric, Donna, and Kelso were still around, but that was it. Three people had been constant in his life from a young age, and if any of them left his life it would hurt like hell. Then there was Jackie, who he loved more than he knew he could ever love anyone. If she walked out of his life now he knew it would hurt, but to give her the chance to leave later, when he'd learnt to love her even more, Hyde couldn't contemplate it - he was sure it would kill him.

"I know you don't get it" he told the silent brunette on his bed, "I know you think I'm just this awful person that's messing you around..." he shook his head and sighed, "Actually, you probably don't" he considered, "Knowing you, Jackie, you probably still think you can change me, probably think one day we'll get that fairytale happily ever after crap" he considered with an almost amused smile as his hand covered hers, "I'm just not the Prince Charming type, Jackie" he told her, "I just..." he ran out of words to tell her, and a part of him worried that she might actually wake and hear him as the dawn light rushed in through the window and lit up her face.

God, she was beautiful, and that wasn't just outside either. Inside was a pure heart that just wanted to love and be loved. Sure, she could be a bitch, but Hyde even liked that about her. She wasn't going to roll over and take it when somebody started with her, she was learning to stand up for herself, stick her chin out and have a spine. Nobody would mess her around like Kelso once had, no-one would push her around anymore. He'd helped her with that and he was proud of it, but he knew it was always within her, that ability to be strong, all he'd done was encourage her to find it and use it.

Hyde struggled to find one thing about this woman that he didn't love, and the fact his heart ached to know she was suffering right now only proved to him just how much he really felt. Donna had been right to yell at him, Steven knew that. She was right to think he loved Jackie, and probably right to think he was an idiot for breaking up with her. Though the over-riding reason remained true, that splitting now would be easier than later when they'd got in too deep, Hyde was starting to wonder if he wasn't just running scared, something he'd sworn never to do. He didn't do fear, or if he did he never showed it. The guys looked up to him as someone who looked the devil in the eye and laughed, but Donna, she could always see through him.

Whether it came from her being a girl or whatever, Hyde couldn't be sure, but she saw right through his bravado, through the holes in his Zen armour. He could hate her for it, but he'd rather not. In the long run he knew having her there in his life, knowing what he was really thinking and feeling even when he was barefaced lying about it and being believed by everybody else, it was pretty cool. It meant somebody was silently there for him, no matter what. Hyde knew it'd be easier just to tell people what he was feeling or about stuff that was bothering him, but it wasn't easy. His mother never cared for his worries as a child or cared at all as he grew older. He'd been brought up believing you bottled up what you felt, and Red Forman, the man he turned to for a father figure when he needed one, had encouraged his practice of keeping things firmly on the inside.

"I guess that's the biggest difference between us, babe" he told his ex-girlfriend as she slept on, "I want to tell you, Jackie, I want you to know that I meant it when I said... when I said that I love you, I just..." he stopped when he thought he felt her hand move beneath his own, "Jackie?" he checked, and this time she definitely flinched, her fingers wriggling beneath his hand, and then her eyes fluttering open.

"Steven?" she said, her voice too rough to her ears as she awoke and tried to take in her odd surroundings that were most definitely not her room.

"It's me, doll" Hyde told her, wrapping his fingers round hers and squeezing her hand, "It's cool to have you back in the land of the living" he told her with a smile as she looked down at him, bringing her other hand to her face and pushing her hair aside.

"I feel awful" she declared, as memories of last night filled her brain and she recalled why she felt so bad, "Oh, and I look awful too!" she groaned, turning her head so she could hide it in the pillow.

Jackie remembered only too well how pale and gross she'd looked last night as she spewed up her guts and then struggled to stay on her feet as she leant on the hand basin in the bathroom and stared at her frightening reflection in the grimy mirror on the wall.

After a night of apparently sleeping in borrowed clothes on Steven's bed, and waking up feeling as terrible as she did, Jackie was sure she looked like the bride of Frankenstein or similiar. Of all the people to see her this way, why did it have to be Steven?!

"Jackie, you're talking crazy" he said, as he shifted from the chair to the edge of the bed.

His hand went to the side of her face as he encouraged her to look at him once again. There were tear in her eyes when she finally faced him, and he hated to see it.

"Jackie, come on, don't cry" he told her, wiping away a stray tear from her cheek with his thumb, "You know you're gorgeous, always" he assured her, "Just cos you're feeling kinda crappy right now, it doesn't change that"

"You're a liar" she said with a sniff, though there was half a smile lurking too, "but that was beautiful"

"Whatever" Hyde said, glancing away, though the smile wouldn't shift from his face.

It was good to know she was awake, and that however awful she felt he could still even get a smile from her. There was no-one here to know he was being a loved-up freak, and even if there was Hyde wasn't sure he could care right now. He was just happy to have Jackie here, needing him and feeling better just because he was here for her.

"Could I maybe have a glass of water?" Jackie asked then, coughing a little for good measure.

"Sure" Hyde nodded, as he got up from the bed, finding he couldn't move away as fast as he intend, since Jackie still had a hold of his hand.

Stopping and turning back he found her smiling at him.

"Thank you, Steven" she said sincerely, "For taking care of me last night. You didn't have to"

"Hey, who else could handle you?" he smirked, as he leant over her and dropped a kiss on her forehead, "I'll be right back" he promised before finally leaving the room.

Jackie sighed as she watched him leave and contemplated her situation. Steven was being perfectly sweet right now, it made Jackie wonder if this sickness or whatever that she'd got might actually work to her favour. Though she knew Steven loved her, he'd told her as much right before he'd broken up with her, Jackie knew he had trouble showing it, especially in front of others. Now she had him all to herself for as long as she felt too ill to move. Though she felt terrible right now, there was nothing to stop her using a few acting skills she had to keep up the charade a little longer after her real sickness was over. All she needed was a little time, and she was sure Steven would realise just how much he needed her and wanted her in his life.

Casting an eye over the place she had slept in, Jackie wasn't sure what to make of the obvious boy's room. It wasn't terribly clean, but then with his mother away, and Steven spending most of his time at the Formans place, she didn't wonder at it being somewhat under-used and under-appreciated. It was an odd feeling to be in the bedroom of the man she loved, knowing that sleeping was all she'd done here, all she might ever do here.

Shivering a little, she pulled the covers of the bed over herself from the side, feeling a little odd about just climbing in. The T-shirt she wore and the bed clothes that surrounded her reminded her of the man she loved, with their unique scent that was neither one thing or another, it was just him, just Steven, and she revelled in it.

Of all the people's houses she could've wound up in last night, this had to be the least desirable in the sense of it's location and state of uncleanliness and disrepair, and yet there was no place Jackie would rather be. The other guys would be childish and stupid about her illness, Kelso would likely scream and run away at the sight of her right now. He was so incredibly shallow, he was pretty much only ever interested in girls for their looks, and he seemed to making Fez just the same. Eric had a little more tact than the others, and his parents were nice enough, but it was abundantly clear that he had no real friendly feelings towards Jackie. As for Donna, she was nice too, but Jackie wasn't so sure she'd ever want to share a house with her, she might fall into one of the red-head's shoes and be lost for days, the girl was such a big goonish lumberjack!

Jackie knew Steven would take care of her better than anyone, even if he was the least used to this kind of situation. Nobody ever cared for him, he was rarely called upon to care about anyone else, and yet love existed between him and Jackie, and she was determined that it wouldn't die. What they had was worth fighting for, she knew it, and she would fight on, even if Steven wasn't sure he could. He'd taught her to be stronger, and now she had the chance to return the favour as they spent the weekend alone here together. She would teach him that love was nothing to be afraid of, even if it took forever to do so. He just meant that much to her.

To Be Continued...


	19. Chapter 19

A/N : I feel like you guys might be getting bored of this fic, given the lack of reviewage... but I'll carry on writing, for myself, and for those that still seem totally interested - thanks to you awesome reviewers ;-)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 19

"Hey, how're you doing?" Hyde asked as he came back into his bedroom to check on Jackie.

It was almost lunch time, and honestly he wasn't sure what he was going to do about getting food for her if she was hungry. There was nothing but crackers and ketchup in the kitchen, and as easy as it would be to go shop-lift something decent for his girl to eat, he didn't want to leave her on her own. Besides, she wouldn't approve of the criminal activity either.

"I don't know" Jackie shivered a little and pulled the covers a up a little more around her shoulders, "A little better, I think"

"That's cool" Hyde nodded from the doorway which he was more comfortable standing in.

Getting close to Jackie was fine when they were dating, but now they were broken up and keeping his distance was kind of important if he was going hold out. Sitting by her all night as she slept, Steven was confronted with the very real prospect of his resolve crumbling, and letting Jackie back into his life. She meant the world to him and the longer this went on, the more difficult he knew it would become to remember why he wasn't with her.

"I think you can come closer" Jackie told him with an almost amused smile, "I don't think I'm contagious"

"Probably not" he muttered, almost cursing that fact, at least then he would've had an excuse to keep back.

Sitting down on his chair by the bed once again, he rested his elbows on his knees, as his eyes flitted around between his boots, the ceiling, and a spot on the opposite wall. Looking at Jackie was a bad idea, especially since he'd left his glasses in the other room. He had nothing to hide behind and nowhere to run to, and unfortunately Jackie knew him a little too well these days.

"So, I guess you must be kind of bored hanging around here to take care of me" she said awkwardly.

"It's cool" Hyde shrugged, still not looking directly at her, knowing he was going to have to use more than two word phrases eventually or this was going to be the most pointlessly boring conversation ever, "Uh, are you hungry?" he asked, knowing it was stupid question since he had nothing to offer if she was.

"I guess, a little" Jackie nodded, "Do you have any soup or anything?" she asked, still shivering, and Hyde opened his mouth to answer shutting it again just as fast, as he considered what he was going to say.

"Sure, yeah" he lied, getting up from his seat and going towards the door.

His hand stilled on the doorknob and Jackie watched him, wondering what was going on as he slammed is hand against the wall suddenly.

"Steven?" she frowned, as he kept his back to her and sighed.

"Look, Jackie, we don't have any soup, we barely have any food" he admitted as he turned around to face her, "I can't even go and buy you anything to eat 'cause I had to pay the rent a couple of days ago and..."

"Steven" she interrupted, being as she was one of the few people who would dare to do such a thing to Hyde, "Your Mom is gone for good, isn't she?" she said carefully, not wanting for the world to upset him, but fairly certain she was right.

"No" he denied it immediately, a knee-jerk reaction to the same question he'd been asked by Eric and Donna already.

It didn't exactly feel great to have to admit that his mother had up and left her seventeen year old son to fend for himself. It also didn't do much for Hyde's manhood to admit he couldn't deal without Mommy either. The fact was he didn't have a job and therefore no money to pay for bills or food. The little cash his mother had left behind had covered the rent but left him practically penniless. Steven had realised this morning that even if he hocked the colour TV, he'd still be in trouble again in a couple of days, the electricity had to be paid soon and he had to eat and get his clothes clean.

Of all the people to have to admit all this to, he wished it wasn't Jackie. They never really talked much about money or material things, though these used to be her favourite topics. It was accepted that she had things he didn't, and neither of them ever bothered about it much. What concerned Steven now was that, if Jackie knew how much he could use some cash, she might see him as a charity case, something even worse than her seeing him as a boyfriend she could dump when she got bored.

"Steven?" Jackie prompted when he was silent too long, knowing he was lying right now, the look in her eyes told him that as she stared him down.

"Okay, so she's gone, so what?" he shrugged, not quite willing to meet her eyes, "It's not like she's the first person to walk out on me" he reminded her.

"Steven, that's not the point" Jackie told him, "You need help to..."

"No" Hyde shook his head firmly, "No, maybe you would need help, without Mommy and Daddy's millions to keep you warm and cosy in your pink ivory tower!" he yelled at her, though none of this was her fault, something he would've realised if he'd attempted to think about what he was doing for two seconds but he didn't, "I'll be fine, I'll cope on my own, just like I always do!" he yelled, before slamming out of the room that was in fact his own.

Immediately he was on the other side of the door, Hyde considered going back, telling Jackie he was sorry for yelling and that he didn't mean it. Unfortunately, his over-riding anger at being embarrassed in front of her made him stay away. He crashed into the living room, almost taking the doors of their hinges as he went, then pacing the room like a caged animal.

Why did Jackie have to bring up him Mom? Why did she have to make him so angry like that?

Of course, if Hyde had been thinking straight he'd have realised that none of this was her fault at all, not that it was really his either. Edna was to blame, she was the one that had walked out on her son without a care, just like Bud before her, and too many friends and girlfriend that Hyde had thought would stay. Jackie hadn't done that, not that he'd really given her the chance, but she'd been the one to stay, the one to fight for what they had. Steven had been the idiot that throw it all away, and he hated himself for that, as well as wishing he could hate his mother for what she'd done too.

Slumping down onto the couch with his head in his hands, most of all Steven realised he hated himself for hurting Jackie. She was probably in there right now bawling like a baby. She felt bad enough from being sick, and now he'd made it so much worse. He was supposed to love her, he _did_ love her, and yet he could treat her like that. It made Steven feel awful to realise that if she ever walked out of his life, it would be different from all those others leaving him behind, not just because it would hurt more, but because this time it would really be his fault.

* * *

"I still don't know that we should've left Jackie at Hyde's place like that" Donna sighed as she and Eric sat together on the basement couch, supposedly watching TV, though the castaways from the Minnow were getting very little of their attention right now.

"Donna, it's not like she can get any sicker than she already is" her boyfriend told her, "I mean, my God, did you see how awful she looked?" he shuddered at the thought of it and Donna moved out from under his arm, staring at him with an unimpressed look on her face, "What?" Eric asked innocently and the red-head looked even more mad.

"I can't believe you just said that" Donna said, looking truly stunned as well as angry, "It didn't bother Hyde what Jackie looked like" she pointed out.

"Yeah, but he wears those dark glasses" Eric waved away her reply, "He can't even tell night from day"

"Oh my God. You don't even care if Jackie's okay do you?" she shook her head, "All you can think about is how bad she looked"

"Well, Donna, it was kinda scary" Eric admitted, the TV now completely forgotten as they faced each other on the couch and the argument started to grow between them, "I couldn't deal with being the one to take care of scary-looking sick Jackie"

"So when we're living alone together one day and I get sick" Donna yelled, "I guess I'll be too scary to take care of too, huh?" she said angrily as she got up from the couch and pointed a finger at her boyfriend, "You're a dillhole, Eric! A shallow, self-centred, dillhole!" she told him, as she finally swept out of the basement door, just as Kelso and Fez came trooping down the stairs from the main house.

"Hey, was that Donna yelling?" Kelso checked, "Eric, what did you do now?"

"Nothing!" he yelled, quite adamant that he had no idea how that particular argument had broken out, "I just said that Jackie looked awful last night and suddenly I'm a dillhole!" he said, arms waving like a windmill in over-drive, as Fez took a seat on the couch and Kelso dug around in the freezer.

"Seriously, man, Jackie looked bad" he nodded when he appeared, sucking on the bright red popsicle he'd just helped himself to, "I gotta say, I'm pretty glad we broke up when we did 'cause I could barely stand to look at her last night!" he declared, sitting down on the lawn chair as Eric pulled himself up onto the back of the couch.

"Right, exactly" he said, gesturing towards his friend, "So why when I told Donna that did I get yelled at"

"Oh, silly, silly Eric" Fez shook his head, "Donna is mad because she thinks when she gets sick and looks bad you won't love her anymore" he explained, "You are a very shallow and bad man" he said with an innocent smile as he realised what was on TV and got sucked into the adventures on Gilligan's Island.

"Oh no" Eric shook his head, "No way, out of all of us, I am the least shallow, man" he declared, looking to Kelso for some kind of confirmation.

"Speaking personally, Eric" his friend said thoughtfully, "I'd agree that you're definitely less shallow than me, and whilst Donna is hot as hell, I believe you'd love her just the same if she were an uggo" he nodded, sucking on his popsicle as he considered the situation, much like Sherlock Holmes might but with a pipe in his mouth, "but Hyde proved last night that he really loved Jackie by getting that close to her when she was all gross and pale and stuff" he said, pointing his iced treat at Eric, "You just made Donna think you couldn't or wouldn't do the same for her"

"But I would!" he protested, "She knows I would... doesn't she?" he asked himself, "Oh damn, I gotta go talk to Donna" he said, leaping off the couch and running for the door.

"How did you end up so smart, Kelso?" Fez asked, apparently in awe of even Michael's basic knowledge and intelligence.

"Elementary, my dear Fez" he said, going back to eating his popsicle as they both concentrated on the TV, their friends problems forgotten all too quickly.

To Be Continued...


	20. Chapter 20

A/N : Hey, check out the major reviewage - I appreciate it a lot guys, so please keep those lovely comments coming - you all rock:-)

Chapter 20

"Donna?" Eric called through her bedroom door, before tapping on the wood.

"Get lost, Eric!" the redhead yelled back, clearly still mad at him.

Forman considered maybe he should've left her a little longer to calm down before coming over, but then there was a chance she'd just get more and more mad and things would be worse when he came to apologise and explain. It wasn't worth the risk of her becoming more angry, at least, he didn't think so; it was never worth it with his father!

"Come on, Donna, I just want to apologise" he told her desperately, "You know I'll always want to be with you, no matter how you look" he tried to explain, hoping he wasn't making anything worse here.

He seemed to have a great habit of saying just the wrong thing and screwing an already screwed up situation even further into the ground. It gave Eric some hope when Donna yanked the door open and glared at him. Okay so she was still mad as hell but at least she was facing him with it now, not hiding in her room and pretending he didn't exist - it was a good start.

"Men are pigs" was all she said, making the forced smile fall from her boyfriends face as he followed her into her room.

"Come on, Donna" Eric tried again to find the right words to say to fix this.

"No, you come on, Eric" she shot back as she spun around to face him, pointing an angry finger, "I thought you were different to other guys, I thought you actually liked me for me, not for my looks"

"Donna, I do" he assured her, "Which does not mean that I don't think you're totally hot" he said quickly, covering all bases just in case she got the wrong idea again, "but what I feel about you isn't going to change even of your looks do. You'll always be you, Donna, you'll always be the girl for me" he promised her, and as much as Donna might've like to have stayed mad at him, it was impossible when he was being so sweet.

"How do you always do that?" she half-smiled as she shook her head, "How do you always make me think you're so cute and adorable that I can't be mad at you anymore?" she asked him hopelessly, "It's like dating a naughty kitten!" she declared with a smile.

"Well, meow, baby" Eric quirked an eyebrow as he moved in closer and put his arms around her, glad she let him do that, and even more pleased when she allowed him to kiss her.

"I'm sorry I got so mad before" Donna sighed when they parted, "I guess I'm a little touchy" she admitted, "Y'know this is still a pretty new relationship, Eric, and... well, it still bothers me something is going to go wrong and then I'm going to lose my boyfriend and my best friend all in one"

"Hey, nothing is going to go wrong" he assured her, "It's just that sometimes I'm an idiot and say the wrong thing, and you have to tell me I'm a dillhole so I can apologise and then it's all good again" he smiled.

"Okay" Donna laughed, before she was silenced by her boyfriends lips on hers, "Eric" she said, in the brief moment between kisses, "Eric!" she repeated, pulling away more forcefully this time.

"Er, yeah" he said, coming out of the daze he'd gone into as he'd figured they were just going to make out - apparently he was wrong.

"I think we should go over to Hyde's place" she said, not entirely thrilling Eric who obviously had other plans, "It's just... I'm still kind of worried about Jackie"

"But she'll be fine" Eric told her, "Y'know Hyde's going to take care of her and... and I'll go warm up the car" he said off Donna's look that was both determined and a little dangerous by now.

It was much easier, he'd found, to do as he was told. The benefits far outweighed the trouble of doing the opposite. Donna would pay him back later, he knew that, and it would be totally worth having to suffer the sight of pale and gross Jackie just one more time.

* * *

Jackie hated that she was crying. She wanted so much to be strong, and yet Hyde's words had stung. That coupled with the fact she already felt entirely lousy from her illness meant that the tears that fell from the young Miss Burkhart's eyes were just unstoppable. 

Jackie knew getting involved with Steven Hyde would be complicated, way more complicated than it had been dating Michael Kelso. He was sweet in his way, but so silly sometimes, so childish. Jackie had seen Steven as a man, someone who wasn't afraid of anyone or anything, who she could lean on but also learn to be strong by herself with too.

As it was she was now starting to see that for all his grown-up traits, Steven was still a little boy on the inside. It still hurt him that his Dad had walked out years ago; it hurt again now to know his mother had done the same. Jackie knew it was unfair of him to take that hurt and anger out on her when all she'd tried to do was love him, but she could also see why he felt so angry at the world.

All those times when she was dating Michael, when they'd gone down to the basement and Hyde was mid-rant about the Government and the Man being out to get him, she wondered now if his frustration and anger at the world was all brought on by his parents rather than actually having any more knowledge of what was going on around them than the rest of them had. The people who were supposed to love Hyde most in the world, were supposed to provide for him and be there for him, hadn't done their job. It made him so mad at the world that hadn't treated him so well.

The problem Jackie kept coming back to was that Steven should not have taken out his anger and upset today on her. She hadn't made his parents leave, and it wasn't her fault she was born to a higher class of person than he was. The Burkharts were rich and prestigious, he hadn't been wrong about her getting everything she ever wanted from a monetary point of view. Of course, he didn't know the whole story, though he knew more than most.

Whilst she'd told Steven that her parents often went away on weekend trips without her, she failed to mention that it wasn't just the weekend that she didn't see them. There were weeks, fortnights, sometimes longer, when they would disappear together or go their separate ways. Even when they were in the house, Pam and Jack had little time for their baby girl. Nobody realised she got all the clothes and make-up and such that she wanted because it was easier for them to spend money than time.

Jackie sighed, and blew her nose on a tissue from the box Steven had managed to find for her. Of course he never intended her to need them because she was crying, only because her illness was causing her nose issues that she despised. She knew she must look terrible now, all pale and gross, probably with a red nose. Her hair felt disgusting and desperately needed a wash, and she still wore the same T-short and pants that were not her own.

In spite of all this, Steven had told her she was beautiful, both inside and out, and that made Jackie smile even now as she thought of it. She knew Michael would never have been so sweet and sensitive in her hour of need. Far from sweeping her up in his arms like some kind of hero from one of her mothers romance novels, Michael Kelso would've run in the opposite direction just as soon as he realised Jackie looked like the bride of Frankenstein. He wouldn't worry about her health, not really, only her outer beauty, whereas Steven saw the important parts of her, her internal qualities that didn't change no matter what her face looked like. Jackie knew no matter what else happened Steven would always love her. He could deny it, hide from it, run away from it if he wanted to, but it would always be true, just as her love for him was.

Deciding she really ought to forgive him his outburst, or at least talk things through with him, Jackie gingerly swung her legs over the side of the bed and stepped down onto her shaky feet. She wished she didn't have to move, but Hyde had too much pride to come back and face her right now. He was embarrassed about the way his parents treated him. Maybe he'd feel better if Jackie told him the full story about her own Mom and Dad. She couldn't tell him if they were in separate rooms and so it seemed it was up to her to make the first move, no matter how crappy she felt.

Wobbling all the way, Jackie moved unsteadily from the bedroom, through the door and headed for the living room. She was a little surprised to find he wasn't there, and she couldn't here a sound coming from anywhere else in the house either.

"Steven?!" she called, though her voice was not as loud or as strong as usual, and was painful to her ears, as she coughed right after, her hand reaching for something to keep her steady.

Between the sickness she had, and the fact she hadn't really eaten in the past day or so, it was hardly surprising Jackie was in such a state. She was in the middle of the room and had no support, and within moments was half-sat, half-collapsed on the couch, shivering terribly. This was how Eric and Donna found her moments later as they got to the screen door.

"Oh my God" Donna gasped as she rushed into the house and over to her friend, "Jackie, are you okay?" she checked.

"I can't find Steven" she complained, teeth chattering as she shook beside her friend.

"I'll take a look around" Eric offered, going off to the kitchen, then doubling back through the living room to the bedrooms and bathroom.

"I can't believe Hyde left you here alone this way" Donna shook her head as she helped Jackie up and started taking her back towards the bedroom where she could lie down.

"It's not all his fault, Donna" the little brunette defended the man she loved, "We had this huge fight, I shouldn't have mentioned Edna going away, he gets so worked up about that"

"Tell me about it" Donna rolled her eyes as she put Jackie back onto Hyde's bed and handed her the glass of water from the night stand.

"Oh, Donna, I wish I wasn't sick" Jackie groaned, "and I wish Hyde's Mom was normal, and that my parents were normal too!"

"Nobody's parents are normal, Jackie" her friend pointed out to her as she sat down on the chair Hyde had been using last night, "And no matter what you two fought about he should not have left you alone like this"

A tap on the half-open door signalled that Eric was there and both girls turned to look at him.

"Yeah, so, I don't think Hyde is anywhere around" he told them awkwardly, "I checked the whole house and outside too, I can't find him"

"That stupid dillhole!" Donna yelled angrily, "I thought he was better than this after last night!" she complained.

"Donna, please don't yell" Jackie urged her, "I told you it's not all Steven's fault"

"But it is, Jackie!" her friend argued, "If Hyde wasn't so stupid about stuff, and all keeping things to himself, you two would still be together instead of him walking out on you when you're sick!" she declared, wishing the moment she'd open her mouth that she hadn't said it.

"What do you mean, Donna?!" Jackie asked, sitting up fast and making her head swim, but honestly she barely noticed, "What do you know that I don't?"

Donna sighed, wishing she was anywhere but here as Eric hovered in the doorway still. The look she shot her boyfriend told him now would be a good time to leave them alone as this was girl talk, and Forman got the message almost immediately.

"Er, maybe I should go drive around, see if I can find Hyde… yeah" he said, nodding once and leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

"Jackie, Hyde will go crazy if he finds out I told you this, but if it's going to help you two figure out this mess then I think I have to" she told her friend, who although she still looked awful was particularly bright eyed and excited all of a sudden.

"Come on, Pinciotti, spill it!" she urged her friend, "If you know why Steven broke up with me then you have to tell me, so I can make him understand that he has nothing to worry about, and we can go live happily ever after forever!" she said, over-dramatically and Donna nodded.

"Okay, calm down, I'll tell you" she assured the over-excited Miss Burkhart, "Hyde broke up with you, because he was scared"

Jackie let out a scoff of laughter at that.

"Scared? Of what?" Jackie laughed, "Of me?"

"Kind of, yeah" Donna told her, making the smile drop right off of her friends face in an instant, "Jackie, he never had a serious relationship before"

"It's not like I've had a whole bunch of boyfriends either, Donna!" Jackie pointed out, "There's only really been Michael.."

"Yeah, and that hasn't helped either" Donna explained though it seemed she was doing a pretty crappy job of making sense if the look on Jackie's face was anything to go by – she was beyond confused, "Look, Jackie, it's simple" Donna took a breath and began again, "Hyde's been dumped on all his life, by his Dad, now his Mom, plus some so-called friends, and girls too. He has trust issues, Jackie, major trust issues" she explained, "Now he has you and he knows he loves you, he's afraid of being dumped on all over again"

"But Donna I would never..." Jackie began, only to be cut off by her friend.

"I know, I know" the red-head nodded, "probably even Hyde knows that on some level but he's still scared"

"Oh, Donna, my poor Steven" Jackie declared, hand over her heart as she looked like she might cry again, "I have to let him know that he has my heart and that will never change"

As she began to bawl again, Donna pulled her into a hug, since it seemed like the thing to do. It didn't make her anymore comfortable with it, but she didn't feel like she had much option.

There was still the whole thing with Hyde living alone here to deal with, and despite Jackie knowing what his problem was with loving her, the situation was far from resolved. Still, they were all on the right track now, and Donna had at least some hope that everything would work out... maybe.

To Be Continued...


	21. Chapter 21

A/N : I so picked the wrong time to post a chapter last week, since the review system went down! Oh well, thats cool, whatever ;-) Shout out to my fab reviewers, and in particular to Zenkindoflove - anyone who wants a really cool fic to read should go check out her latest work in progress 'Sixteen Candles' because it rocks! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this chapter of my fic - and just so you know, there's not a lot of this story left!

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 21

Eric wasn't sure exactly where he was supposed to go look for Hyde, or what he was supposed to say to him when he found him. It didn't really make sense that he'd run out on Jackie. Of all the girls Hyde had ever talked about, hung out with, or got even a little close to, none compared to the way he was with Jackie. As crazy as Eric knew it was, it seemed that Hyde and Jackie really were in love, at least they had been for a while there. Given all the people that had run out on him, and all the pain and hurt that had caused, Eric couldn't believe his friend would inflict that kind of suffering on the girl he loved.

The water tower, The Hub, the reservoir, Eric mentally made a list of any and all the places Hyde may have run too, though none of them had any particular significance or made any sense at all. He was just trying to decide whether to take the next right or keep on driving and hope for the best, when he spotted a figure coming up the side of the road. Squinting his eyes to try and see better as he approached the person walking just a few feet in front, Eric soon realised it was the very young man he'd been looking for.

"Hyde!" he yelled as he pulled up next to him, only to realise his friend had no intention of stopping walking.

With a frown, Eric made an awkward U-turn in the middle of the quiet lonely road and followed Hyde, pulling up level with him and talking to him through the open window whilst trying to keep control of his unwieldy car.

"Hyde, what the hell, man?!" he yelled, "What's going on?"

"Nothing, man, nothing's going on so just... just go home, Forman" Hyde snapped as he quickened his pace, still he was never going to outrun a car, not even the Vista Cruiser!

"Er, I can't go home, because my girlfriend is at your house" Eric explained, "Actually, she's there comforting your girlfriend who is all sick and abandoned right now"

"Okay, first, Jackie is **not** my girlfriend" Hyde said firmly, "And second, I did not abandon anybody, which I could do, since everybody else did it to me, but I didn't" he said, pointing a finger at Forman through the open window, before trudging on.

"Whatever, man" Eric sighed, "Just, will you please get in the damn car already!" he complained.

Hyde considered it for a moment, even stopped walking and stared at the car that pulled up alongside him. It would be easier just to get in the car than keep walking, especially given the circumstances. With a sigh, he relented, and walked around to climb into the passenger seat of the car. Something made a strange rustling sound as he sat down and Eric looked at him oddly.

Forman's eyes went comically wide as his friend shifted in the seat, pulling out items from every conceivable pocket in his clothes. There was a packet of macaroni and cheese in one side of his jacket, a couple of candy bars in the back pocket of his pants, a can of soda and a similar can of beer in there, as well as some glossy girls magazine.

"What the hell, Hyde?" Eric wanted to know as he looked at all the stuff that now sat on the seat between the two of them.

"I went shopping" Hyde shrugged, "For Jackie"

"Wait a second. Shopping?" he checked, "Or shop-lifting?"

"What are you, Forman, my Mom?" his friend said, giving him a look, "Just drive the damn car" he complained, turning to stare out of the passenger side window.

He knew he'd been rumbled, and he wasn't thinking of the thievery either. All of the guys had dared each other to steal, and none of them had a problem with the have-nots taking from the have-alls. No, it wasn't Hyde's shop-lifting habits being revealed that was bothering him, it was the fact his caring side was coming out a little too much for his liking.

Now Forman knew why he'd left his house in such a hurry, why he'd had to leave Jackie alone when she was sick. Their fight had got him thinking, made him feel very guilty too. He had to be there for Jackie, he had to apologise, how ever uncomfortable the idea made him. When all was said and done, Hyde knew he loved Jackie, and he'd been willing to be caught stealing from the local store for her. Now Forman knew it too, and it was making Eric grin like an idiot as he realised it.

"You did this for Jackie" he smiled, shoving his friend in the shoulder, "You really love her"

"Can it, Forman!" Hyde snapped, feeling embarrassed and stupid enough as it was without his friends ribbing.

"Seriously, Hyde" Eric controlled his hilarity at the situation for a moment, "Did you go shop-lifting to make Jackie happy?"

For a while Hyde stayed faced the other way, not looking at Forman and not answering his question. They both already knew the answer, denying this was pointless and stupid, beside Eric was just about the only one who would understand all this without making a big deal out of it. He had Donna, he'd been in love with her forever, he was usually the butt of the whipped jokes, and so it was unlikely he was going to start with Hyde too much over his feelings for Jackie.

"Yes, okay" he said, finally turning to face his friend, "Yeah, I went to get all this stuff for Jackie, and yeah, I stole it, because I don't have any money" he explained, "You were right, Forman, twice over; my Mom is gone for good, and yeah I... I love Jackie" he admitted, feeling really odd letting out any kind of emotions, and yet after he'd said the words, he actually felt better about it all, in a weird way.

"Wow" was Eric's only response at first as he sat staring at his friend, his hands stuck on the steering wheel even though he turned the engine off minutes ago, "I mean, wow" was really all he could find to say and Hyde quickly got uncomfortable again.

"Okay, so confession time is over, can we move the damn car already?" he snapped, but Eric shook his head.

"I just can't believe your Mom would totally abandon you like that" he said, thinking of his own parents and how he'd never cope if either of them left him behind, nevermind if both of them up and left, "And that Steven Hyde just admitted he's in love" he grinned at that particular point which was musing him so much.

"Yeah, well" Hyde shifted uncomfortable, knowing it was too late now to take back those words he'd said, and honestly, he didn't really want to, "You love Donna, right?" he asked his friend who then began to look just as awkward as he felt.

"I don't know if... well, I mean love is a huge..." Eric started to ramble and Hyde shook his head in disbelief.

"For God sakes, Forman, be a man" he urged him, and Eric's mouth dropped open wide.

"Oh, me be a man, Hyde?" he said in shock, "How about you be a man first. All this crap about you loving Jackie so you can't be with her? What the hell is that all about?"

Eric stared at Hyde who stared back, and neither of them were honestly sure what came next. Eric was half expecting a smack in the face for daring to yell at Hyde that way, whilst Steven was wondering how his friend ever ended up growing a stronger spine than he himself had.

"Honestly?" he said eventually, "I don't know, man" he shrugged, "All I know for sure is that somehow I realised I love Jackie, and that was crazy, man, cos I don't do all that love stuff" he shook his head, "then we had this big fight and I got this feeling like I had to, y'know, apologise or something"

"My God" Eric gasped, "What is this witchcraft?" he checked in a whisper, looking genuinely scared of what might be happening to his good buddy Hyde, who hated all talk of love and fairytale endings, and he certainly never said he was sorry, not for anything.

"No spells, Forman" Hyde said, finding a smile, "I guess this is just how it goes down when you finally find the woman that you're gonna be with for the long haul"

"Yeah" Eric nodded slowly as he thought of Donna and the overwhelmingly power she had over him, "Yeah, I guess that's what it is"

The sweet moment of friendship and understanding that between girls would've led to hugging and tears, only led to uncomfortable silence and severe awkwardness between the two guys as they realised what they were doing. Both shifted in their seats, clearing their throats, and fixing their eyes on the road ahead.

"So, er, you gonna get this thing moving towards my house before dark, or what, Forman?" Hyde snapped.

"I'm on it, man" Eric nodded once, starting the car, putting it in gear, and heading for Hyde's house as fast a he dare.

* * *

"Donna, was that a car?" Jackie checked when she thought she heard tyres on the drive outside, "Oh my God, is Eric back? Did he find Steven?" 

"Geez, I don't know, Jackie, my x-ray vision must be a little rusty" Donna told her, sarcasm dripping from every word.

"We don't have time for stupid jokes, Donna!" Jackie snapped, "Go and look!" she urged her, practically pushing off the edge of the bed where she'd been sitting talking to her.

With a sigh, the red-head did as she was asked (or should that be, as she was ordered?) and hurried through to the living room, just as Eric and Hyde were coming in.

"Where the hell have you been, you idiot?!" Donna demanded to know just as soon as she laid eyes on Hyde.

Eric shook his head and put a finger to his lips, gesturing for Donna to be quiet as the three of them all bundled into the kitchen.

"Donna, we got it wrong, okay?" her boyfriend told her as he closed the door, "Hyde didn't run out on Jackie"

"Oh, so there's a good reason why he left a sick person all alone?" the red-head checked, arms folded across her chest and anger flashing in her eyes as Hyde dumped the stolen food on the counter top and set about finding something remotely clean he could use to cook it in, "You're supposed to love Jackie…"

"I do" Hyde replied like a weird reflex that he really wished he hadn't picked up, "I mean… whatever" he said quickly, going back to concentrating on the task at hand.

"Where did all this come from?" she asked, picking up a can from the counter, "I thought you were pretty much broke"

"I am" Hyde nodded once, "It was... on sale" he said with a look, an eyebrow raised behind his glasses.

Donna shook her head and sighed. She should be mad at him for leaving Jackie, and then for shop-lifting food, and yet she couldn't do it. It became clear now, and even clearer when Eric and Hyde explained that he had only left to go get what Jackie needed. He'd even risked arrest to make her happy, not that Hyde really needed much of an excuse to break the law, but it was still pretty romantic, and Donna knew that Jackie would definitely think so when she heard about it..

That was why, when Eric suggested they leave the two young lovers (potentially anyway) alone to talk, Donna happily agreed. Of course, she still issued Hyde with a serious warning. If she found out he'd done anything other than make Jackie happy, she would personally kick his ass to the moon.

With that understood, Donna was almost dragged away by Eric, as Hyde set out the food, drink, and magazine he'd got for Jackie onto a tray. It wasn't exactly fit for the princess that Jackie wished she was, but it was the best he could do, and he hoped she'd understand that.

"Donna?" Jackie yelled from the bedroom, clearly having noticed her friend had been gone too long, and probably worrying.

"She went home, with Eric" Hyde told her as he pushed on the door and let himself in, the tray balanced on his other hand.

"Steven!" she yelled happily at the sight of him, "You came back!" she said joyfully, before turning serious, and throwing the nearest thing that was to hand at his head.

Hyde ducked and managed to keep the tray balanced through force of will alone as one of his own shoes narrowly missed his head.

"Hey!" he complained, but Jackie didn't care.

"Where the hell have you been?!" she said angrily, "I have been so worried!" she said, a hand to her chest dramatically, "Worrying is not good for my skin or my complexion, and as if both aren't going through enough with my being sick!" she complained.

"Okay, fine" Hyde conceded, though he sounded equally as angry as he did apologetic, "So maybe I shouldn't have just left, maybe I should've told you I was going" he told her, putting the tray down on her lap, "But... it was all for you"

"Oh Steven!" Jackie gasped, going right back to happy, as her hands went over her mouth and she was the picture of girlish excitement once again.

"Look, Jackie" Hyde sighed as he sat down beside her on the bed and watched her tuck into the food he knew she usually wouldn't touch with a long pole, "We kinda have to talk, and I don't exactly love the idea of spilling my guts but... well, I guess a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do..."

To Be Continued...


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: I know I left you with a sucky cliffhanger but I'm back now with the penultimate chapter, and I'm totally appreciating all the sweet reviews I got :-) So yeah, the next chapter will be the last, but in the meantime, check out this one!

Chapter 22

"Well, there you are, honey" Kitty smiled as her son came through the screen door and into the kitchen.

"You need me for something, Mom?" Eric checked, but she shook her head.

"No. No, no" she assured him, "I just, I feel like I've barely seen you these past few days. Is everything okay, sweetie?" she checked, as she continued with putting chocolate frosting onto a batch of cupcakes.

"Yeah, I guess" Eric sighed, not looking at all convincing, and the expression on his mother's face told him she didn't believe a word of it, "I guess I'm just a little worried about Hyde" he admitted, "You know his Mom's still not back"

"Well, now, you know what Edna's like, Eric" Kitty smiled, "Always flitting off somewhere, but y'know she always comes back"

"Not this time" Eric shook his head, reaching towards the bowl of frosting with his finger only to have his hand slapped away by Kitty as she continued with her cakes, "Hyde told me his Mom called and said she wasn't coming back this time"

"That can't be right, Eric" his mother assured him, "For all that Edna Hyde is she wouldn't just abandon Steven like that"

"Mom, her exact words were 'I'm abandoning you, Steven'" Eric said firmly, "She's gone for good" he nodded, as Kitty's expression turned very serious and overly worried.

"Well, that's certainly not right" she said solemnly as she finished off her frosting and wiped her hands on the front of her apron, "I mean, you don't just run out on your little boy like that, I just..." she looked oddly tearful as she suddenly pulled her own son to her and hugged him tight.

Eric was taken by surprise, but hugged his mother and patted her back till she finally let go.

"You think we could do something? Y'know to help out Hyde?" Eric said hopefully, "He's not exactly great at accepting favours but... I dunno, he's my friend, I feel like I should help him out"

"Oh, you're such a good boy, Eric" Kitty told him, as she pinched his cheeks, and then handed him a cup cake with extra frosting on top, "Here, you go eat that and... and I'll see what we can do about Steven" she told her son, who went off happily with his chocolatey treat in his hand.

Eric was barely through the door to the basement, when his father came into the kitchen from the living room, and sat himself down at the table with his newspaper.

"That Bob is just getting weirder" he complained as he took a seat and tried to find the page he'd been reading, "There I am, just trying to enjoy a few minutes of quiet time in my yard, "And he starts leaning over the fence, talking to me about this damn stupid idea he's had for his electrical store!" he yelled, "You know what that stupid S.O.B. said to me?" he asked his wife, looking over his newspaper at her when she didn't answer.

It was only now Red realised that Kitty didn't look right at all, not anywhere close to her usual happy self in fact. In place of her smile was a deep frown, and he was fairly certain she'd not heard a word of what he'd just said as she leant on the counter staring off into space.

"Kitty?" he prompted, getting up and going over to her when she still didn't answer.

Putting his hand on her shoulder, Red finally got a reaction out of his wife as she jumped suddenly and then laughed at how he'd managed to startle her.

"Oh, Red" she said, turning sad again as she went into his arms and he hugged her.

"Well, what in the world has happened here?" he asked, turning angry, "Is it Eric? Did he upset you like this? Because I'll kick his ass so hard his nose will bleed!" he declared, but Kitty shook her head as she pulled out of his embrace and looked up at him.

"Eric didn't do anything, expect tell me about Steven and... oh Red, his mother's just gone and abandoned him"

"Well, what do you expect of that Edna?" he shook his head, "She was never going to be a decent mother. Hell, if not for us helping him along, Steven would probably be a degenerate by now" he declared.

"He's a good boy" Kitty nodded, "and now he's all alone in the world..." she said, gazing up at her husband with wide and hopeful eyes.

"Oh, no!" Red declared when he realised what that expression was for, backing up away from Kitty waving a hand in a negative gesture, "No, Kitty, absolutely not! We are not getting involved in this"

"But Red" she complained, "We can't just leave him there, knowing he's all alone, probably without clean clothes or food to eat" she said, becoming more emotional as she spoke, "What kind of people would that make us Red? What kind of people?!" she yelled at this point, startling her husband and making him realise that she was at least somewhat right.

Red Forman really wasn't usually the kind of man to worry about other people's problems, after all he had enough of his own, what with the plant closing down, his own family to support, and his mother recently passing away. Life wasn't exactly a bowl of cherries, and yet, he knew that he couldn't just let Steven suffer. As hard as he came off, Red did have a heart, and he wouldn't like to think anybody would let Eric fend for himself if anything happened to himself and Kitty.

"I suppose we could go over and check on him" he sighed, "but just to check" he repeated, pointing a finger sternly, "Kitty, this is not a rescue operation, we are not bringing the boy back here" he dared, "We just can't afford to be picking up any waif and stray that Eric makes friends with, okay?"

"Oh, Red!" Kitty said, looking suddenly happy as she hopped around the kitchen like a bug on a hotplate, "I just, I need to make a sandwich, and... oh, I'm gonna take him some cupcakes, and..." she continued to babble as she began to pack what may yet end up being a full scale picnic hamper.

Red watched her and sighed, already knowing that before the day was out, they'd have another mouth to feed, and another body to clothe. As much as he'd like to think he could put his foot down and say no, Kitty was too good and nice to leave the poor boy alone in an unkempt house. In all honesty, Red wasn't so sure he'd be able to do it either, no matter how much he said to the contrary.

* * *

"Steven, you're the one that said we need to talk" Jackie pointed out, "but you haven't said anything since then" she said, having now finished off most of the food he'd brought in for her, and still waiting for some kind of revelation, beyond the fact they clearly needed to have a serious conversation.

Hyde knew he just had to do this, but talking about his feelings and stuff just didn't come naturally. It had been awkward enough in the car, having to admit to Forman how he really felt for Jackie. Now he had to make amends with the girl herself, and he didn't know where to begin. Everything that popped into his head as a potential thing to say sounded lame in one way or another, either too mushy and girly, or lacking in feeling completely.

"Okay, so... I'll start" Jackie decided when he seemed unwilling or unable, "Steven, when we first met, I thought you were kind of stupid and lame, and I didn't bother to get to know you because I knew you were poor and everything" she admitted, and far from shocking Hyde she actually made him smile with her honesty, "Anyway, when I did bother to get to know you, you turned out to be totally sweet underneath all your anti-establishment crap" she smiled, looking more at her hands in her lap than at him, but carrying on regardless in telling him how she felt, "I didn't exactly plan to fall in love with you, and it certainly took you a while to realise you loved me too, but I know you did, I know you still do, and even if you can't say it, that's okay" she said bravely, "Because I can see it, when you look at me sometimes" she said, grinning at how perfectly timed her words were as he took off his sunglasses and faced her, "You wouldn't be here right now, you wouldn't have given up your bed, and probably stolen this food and stuff for me, if you didn't care"

Hyde wasn't sure whether he liked that she knew all this without him saying a word or not. It was easier not to have to articulate all this crap himself, not that he ought to think of it as crap, especially when it was all true so far. He did love Jackie, even if the words didn't come easy. He knew as well as she did that he felt it, stronger for her than he ever had for anyone, and whilst it was cool that she knew it without him telling her, he was still going to have to explain why he broke up with her. The one thing Hyde found harder to say out loud than 'I love you' was probably 'I was scared'.

"Jackie... y'know, I don't do all this relationship stuff. Prince Charming, and happily ever after. It's not me, man" he said with a shake of his head, "I don't know if you and me are gonna make it for the long haul, but I guess we'll never know if we don't give it a shot, right?" he said as he looked over at her, and a wide grin filled Jackie's face, her eyes lighting up like the pinball machine telling Hyde he'd won a bonus game.

"Oh, Steven" she gasped, "Of course we should give it a shot" she said as she reached to hug him and he let her do that, holding her close in his arms too.

"And Jackie?" he said, still holding onto her, thinking this might be easier if he didn't have to look at her when he said it, "About before, when I said we had to break up, that we weren't worth it and all that stuff..."

"Oh, that's okay, Steven" she assured him, as she pulled from his arms and looked him in the eye, "I know you didn't mean any of that, you were just scared of what would happen if we got close"

"Me? Scared? I don't..." Hyde began to deny it immediately, a knee jerk reaction to such an accusation against his Zen coolness, but the look on Jackie's face told him there was little or no point to his denial, she knew what she said was true enough, "Yeah, well, whatever" he said, looking away, knowing from now on it was unlikely he'd be able to pull any crap with Jackie.

She was always going to know what he was thinking or feeling without him saying a word, which in some ways would definitely work to his advtange, so he didn't want to complain.

"Y'know, Steven" she said suddenly, with a glint in her eye, "I'm feeling much better now..." she admitted almost shyly and Hyde had to admit she looked better too.

Not that he'd lied when he'd said she was still beautiful when she was sick, he was sure he'd always think that, but she still looked better now. The colour was back in her cheeks, her eyes were bright and alive once again. He wondered if perhaps all of her pale and sickly look had been down to whatever she caught at the reservoir. Maybe he hadn't helped her to feel any better by being such a dillhole and messing her around. For that he was truly sorry, and even though he hadn't said those exact words, she seemed to know it.

"Steven?" Jackie prompted when he didn't move, after all she could only manage this innocent yet sexy pouty look from the magazines for so long before her face started to ache. She wanted him to kiss her already, she wanted to feel him close to her. It had been too long, despite the fact they'd been broken up barely a week.

When Steven finally put his lips to hers, it was the magic Jackie had been waiting for too long. His love was the only real cure she needed for her sickness, drugs be damned this was better, she realised, as they made out on his bed.

They were unaware of the world around them, wrapped up in each other, to the point where even a car pulling up outside went unnoticed, as did the knock on the door and people entering the house.

It was only when Red's loud booming voice called his name that Steven Hyde reacted, and Jackie's eyes went ridiculously wide as she and her boyfriend pulled sharply away from each other in panic.

"Oh crap" Hyde declared in a whisper as he realised their making up would have to be cut short.

"Steven..." Jackie began, but he put his finger to her lips to shush her.

If the Formans found out he had a girl alone in the house with him, and worse, sleeping in his bed, there would be hell to pay. Since Eric's Mom and Dad were practically his surrogate parents anyway, and the only adults that really bothered to care about him, Steven could really use not pissing them off.

"I'll go get rid of them" he whispered, planting one last kiss on Jackie's lips before getting off the bed and heading for the door.

Jackie watched him go with a grin on her face that wouldn't shift. She offered a silent but jubilant thank you to whomever was watching over her, as she laid out on her boyfriends bed and revelled in the feeling of being back together with him.

To Be Continued...


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Here we are, the end of the road for this story. There may be more T7S stories from me in the future, but right now I gotta take a break and wait for the inspiration to hit me again! In the in between time, I have to say thanx so much to everyone who read this, and moreso to everyone who review - you guys all totally rock :-)  
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 23

"Mrs Forman, Mr Forman" Hyde greeted the pair with a forced grin as he emerged in the living room, closing the door behind him, "What a great surprise"

"Well, we were just in the neighbourhood and we thought we'd drop in, see how you're doing" Kitty lied like a pro, and Red stared at her in disbelief as she did so.

"That's cool" Hyde nodded, "Honestly, everything is fine here"

"Yeah, it looks real... fine" Red said looking entirely unconvinced as his eyes drifted around the room - the paint was peeling off the walls, there were clothes and magazines and beer cans strewn all over, the stuffing was coming out of the armchair, and the space where he presumed the TV had once been stood empty.

"Oh, look now, I did a little grocery shopping for you" Kitty seemed to suddenly remember she had the large paper bag in her hands, and she passed it over to Hyde who took it and peered inside at real food and proper supplies that he couldn't afford, "Gotta have your four food groups" Kitty laughed almost crazily and Hyde nodded in agreement, as he thanked the Formans for their generosity.

If anybody else had come here, giving him free food, suddenly offering to take that food and tidy it away whilst cleaning the kitchen, Hyde would've got angry at them making him a charity case. It was different with the Formans. They were almost like a family to Hyde, who's own parents had never really had any time for him. From the day he met Eric at school, Kitty and Red had kind of become his surrogate Mom and Dad, ensuring he was fed and clean and surviving the life that no child or young man should have been subjected too.

"Uh, you need a coffee table" Red said suddenly in the midst of an awkward silence shortly after Kitty had disappeared into the kitchen.

"Yeah, that'd really pull the room together" Hyde nodded, glancing back towards the door behind himself, wondering what it was going to take to get them to leave so he could get back to Jackie already.

"Steven, is there some place else you need to be?" Red asked him, as he caught him glancing over his shoulder for the seventh time, "Or do I not want to know what you were doing before we arrived?" he asked with a look that Steven understood only too well, "Are you on dope?" he snapped, pointing a finger at the startled young man, "Because I am not having some hop-head living under my roof, I..."

"Under your roof?" Hyde suddenly looked puzzled as Kitty came bustling back out of the kitchen.

"Well, Steven, I was going to clean but honestly, I was too afraid to even put the groceries away" she admitted, hugging the paper bag she had taken with her.

"Hold on a second" Hyde shook his head and turned back to Red, "You said something about living under your roof?"

"No, I didn't" he said quickly, realising what a mistake he'd made.

He'd been the one to say, in no uncertain terms, that whilst they would try to help Steven out, he would not, under any circumstances, be invited to come and live at the Forman family home. Sub-consciously he must have thought differently. Deep down he'd known from the start that they'd be taking the virtual orphan home with them, no matter what.

"Oh, Red" Kitty grinned, as she hugged him tight, "You do care"

"For God sakes, Kitty, not in front of the boy!" Red said sternly, pushing his wife away gently, "You'll give him weird ideas" he said, as Hyde looked away.

He had some ideas about getting close to women, mostly just the one woman right now, and they weren't weird ideas, mostly they were just hot. All this reminded him that Jackie was still in his bed waiting for him, and that thought led to a few others that he was almost too embarrassed to process in front of Eric's parents.

"Steven!" Red suddenly snapped, catching his attention, "Now, we all know you can't live here by yourself like this, so get your crap together and get in the damn car, because you're coming home to live with us. Understood?" he yelled, pointing a stern finger and looking so mad about the whole thing that even Hyde jumped a little at the fierceness of his look and tone.

Still, the sentiment was not lost on him, even if it wasn't obvious. Red was a hard ass but his heart was in the right place, and Hyde knew what a big deal it was that the Formans were offering to let him come stay at their house.

"Come on, Steven" Kitty said with a smile, "I'll help you pack up your things" she offered, turning him towards the door that led to his bedroom.

For a moment, Hyde let her follow him, before suddenly remembering all too quickly why this was the worst idea ever.

"No!" he shouted suddenly, turning back from the door and startling the poor woman so much she almost fell down, "I... er, I can get my stuff" he said quickly, "You two should maybe wait for me in the car because... y'know I think there might be a rat problem" he told them, looking awkward.

Kitty was soon running for the door faster than Hyde had ever seen anybody move in his life, and though Red waited long enough to tell Steven to move his lazy ass, he seemed almost just as eager to get out.

Grinning to himself, Hyde headed back to his room and was a little surprised to find Jackie now standing on his bed with a baseball bat in her hands.

"What the hell, Jackie?" he said as he looked up at her, and she peered down with wide eyes.

"You said there were rats, Steven!" she shrieked, "I am not staying here to be attacked by rats!"

"Relax, man" Hyde shook his head, and repressing a chuckle, "There are no rats, I just had to say something to get the Formans to leave, so I got a chance to talk to you"

"Oh" Jackie let her arms fall to her side, the bat slipping from her grasp and landing in the bed by her feet, "You're sure you made it up?" she checked warily, as Hyde walked over.

"I'm sure" he nodded once, putting his hands to her waist, lifting her down from the bed, and standing her in front of him, "but we do kind of have a problem" he said, glancing towards the door and back, "I can't tell the Formans you're in here, not if I'm going to move into their house..."

"Well, I can stay here a while" his girlfriend shrugged as she put her arms up around his neck, "It's not like I never stayed in a house alone before, and I know you'll come get me as soon as you can"

"I'll get Forman to drive me back over here as soon as I can get free from Mrs Forman's mothering" he promised, with appropriate eye roll, before kissing his girlfriend, who happily kissed him back.

The honking of the car horn outside parted the young couple and regretfully Hyde had to let Jackie go and get together any stuff he absolutely needed. A couple of changes of clothes and so on, and he was done.

"Don't be too long" Jackie said from her position laid out on his bed, with a look on her face that made Hyde wish he really did not have to leave right now, but he did.

"I'll be back, doll" he assured her before finally leaving the room and the house.

Jackie picked up the magazine that Steven had bought her and settled down to read until he came back. The grin on her face would not shift as she thought of how good things could be from now on. She had the perfect boyfriend, at least he was perfect for her, and he was getting out of this scabby house. It was all working out and Jackie couldn't be happier about it.

* * *

"Hey, thanks for this, man" Hyde said as the Vista Cruiser pulled up outside his old home some two hours later. 

"Anything for my new brother" Eric smiled as Hyde hopped out of the car and headed inside to find Jackie.

He'd half expected her to be at the window, nose pressed up against the glass, overly eager to escape the house that he too was definitely not sorry to leave behind. Instead Hyde found he had to go searching for his girl, and when he found her, he couldn't help but smile at the sight. There was Jackie Burkhart, self-proclaimed princess of Point Place, laid out on a borrowed bed, in borrowed clothes, with a stolen magazine abandoned to her left and her hair splayed out in a mess of waves to her right. Despite all this, she had never looked more beautiful to Steven Hyde.

"Hey, Jackie" he said softly as he sat down beside her and gently shook her shoulder, "Rise and shine, babe, time to go home"

The little brunette smiled as she stirred from sleep and gazed straight up into a pair of familiar blue eyes.

"Steven" she grinned, more so when he leant down and kissed her lips, "I thought you'd be gone longer"

"I _was_ gone longer" he told her as she pulled herself up and sat beside him, "I figured you'd be going nuts right about now but I guess my bed was comfier than we thought, huh?"

"I guess" Jackie agreed, looking a little embarrassed about it as she rested her head on Steven's shoulder, "So, we should be getting out of here now" she said, as if she were sad to leave, "My parents are due home tonight and I should get there before they do, otherwise I have to explain my outfit and..." her sentence tailed off as she glanced down at her clothes, thinking them explanation enough.

"Whatever" Hyde shrugged, "I think you look totally hot" he assured her, and with a grin on her face she happily kissed him in thanks for the compliment.

When they could finally bear to tear themselves away from each other for two seconds they waved goodbye to the place Hyde had called home for so long and went and joined Eric in the car that would take them both to their real homes.

Forman wasn't exactly surprised that the two shared the back-seat instead of sitting up front with him, though he could've done without the view he had each time he glanced in the rear-view mirror. Other peoples hands and tongues all over the place was a gross enough sight, but when the anatomy in question belonged to Hyde and Jackie it was a whole other world of eew that Eric had yet to make his peace with. They loved each other and he knew it, but it didn't mean he had to be comfortable with their making out in his car!

When the Vista Cruiser finally pulled up outside the Burkhart residence, Eric had to clear his throat three times, in increasing volumes, before he got a reaction. Hyde got out of the car and walked Jackie to her door without thinking, and though she was a little surprised by his sudden gentlemanly manner, she didn't say a word.

"So, I guess I should get inside" Jackie shifted her feet, "I'll get this T-shirt washed for you as soon as I can" she promised him, but Hyde shook his head.

"Keep it" he told her, "It looks better on you" he said, smoothing the fabric over her shoulders.

It meant more to Jackie than simply being given an old Led Zeppelin T-shirt, it was like a symbol of how much Steven really cared about her. Somewhere along the line she had learnt how to read the emotions of the man of her dreams, without him saying a word. Jackie thought that would probably come in very useful in the time to come.

As the reunited couple shared a kiss goodbye, Jackie made a point of hugging her boyfriend tight right after, letting him know without words how grateful she was that he'd looked after her and how glad she was they were back together.

Opening the front door, Jackie moved to go inside, then turned back at the last moment to call to Hyde, who was now half way down the path back towards the car.

"Steven!" she called, knowing this was probably a bad idea but doing it anyway because she just couldn't help herself, "I love you" she told him, almost too quiet for him to have heard but he knew what those words had been.

"Yeah" he said, nodding once, "Right back at you, doll" he told her wish a wink as he headed back to the Vista Cruiser and climbed inside next to his best friend and new adoptive brother.

"Aaw, you guys are so cute" Eric teased, "There should be a song" he giggled, only to be frogged in the arm by a seemingly angry Hyde.

"Just drive the damn car, Forman" he said, sounding less stern than he ought to have done, his smile totally giving away how not mad he really was.

As the car moved away from the sidewalk, Hyde looked back at the house they were leaving behind. Jackie was at the window, waving to him like a crazy person and with a sigh as if it was a hardship he raised his hand back at her. Eric was going to tease him, Kelso was going to make life difficult because he'd had Jackie first, and the whole situation of being in love like this was going to take some serious getting used to for Steven Hyde, but it was cool, he could deal. Whatever.

The End


End file.
